Singaporeans in huge numbers chanting "We love you, Lee Kuan Yew!" lined Singapore's streets earlier in the day to pay tribute to Lee and later outside the country's legislature where they had to wait for nearly eight hours to see the demised leader who transformed their lives.
The coffin, wrapped in the Singaporean flag, was taken in a slow motorcade on a gun carriage as people wept on the streets, mourning the loss of the 91-year-old patriarch who passed away on Monday.
An open-topped military truck pulled the gun carriage carrying the dark brown wooden coffin in a glass case as shouts of "We love you!" and "Lee Kuan Yew!" filled the air.
"Auld Lang Syne" played on bagpipes as the hour-long procession started from the Istana.
Singaporeans will be able to pay their last respects to the founding premier round the clock till Saturday.
Officials said in a statement they were taken aback by the "overwhelming response" from the public and are discouraging people from joining the queue. The viewing was meant to end at 8pm local time but has since been extended twice.
Other leaders scheduled to attend the funeral are Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, South Korea's President Park Geun Hye, Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Myanmar's President Thein Sein and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The procession carrying the body of Mr Lee will make its final journey around key parts of the city-state before it goes to Mandai Crematorium, on the outskirts for cremation.
"Due to overwhelming response from members of the public, the lying in state at Parliament House will be open 24 hours daily from today until 28 Mar 2015, 8pm," according to latest information on the Remembering Lee Kuan Yew website.
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