Thousands queue up to view Singapore's Lee lying in state

Image
Press Trust of India Singapore
Last Updated : Mar 25 2015 | 6:07 PM IST
Thousands of people today queued up outside Singapore's Parliament House to have a glimpse of the country's founding father Lee Kuan Yew lying in state as his casket was taken there for public viewing.
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.
People in large numbers lined the route from the Istana government complex, Lee's workplace for decades as prime minister and cabinet advisor, to the Parliament House and chanted the name of modern Singapore's first premier.
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.
The funeral is on Sunday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian premier Tony Abbott will be among Southeast Asian heads of state present.
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.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Mar 25 2015 | 6:07 PM IST

Next Story