Singaporeans turned out in full force to pay their respects to the late Mrs Lee Kuan Yew on Monday at the Istana grounds.
Today, Singapore will bid its last farewell to the Iron lady of Singapore.
Her casket will be borne on a ceremonial gun carriage for the journey from Sri Temasek to the Mandai Crematorium.
The Government said yesterday it decided to accord the late Madam Kwa Geok Choo this honour ‘in recognition of her exceptional and unique contributions to Singapore for more than five decades, beginning before Singapore became independent’
The ceremonial gun carriage is a traditional that remains from the time of the British and is used in state and military funerals to signify great honour and respect for the person who has passed away.
At the funeral service for Mrs Lee today, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew will deliver a eulogy entitled ‘The Last Farewell to My Wife’.
It is expected that all three of her children – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang – will also speak
On Monday, the queues, which stretched to 200-long at about 10am, were orderly and moved quickly.
One of the first to turn up outside the main entrance of the Istana facing Orchard Road was Mr Chan Kwok Leong, 57, a retired airline manager, who came from Holland Road early to ‘pay my deep respects to Mrs Lee.’
‘Mrs Lee is a very selfless woman who sacrificed a lot for the nation. She looked after her family well so that Mr Lee Kuan Yew could concentrate on building the nation,’ said Mr Chan. ‘She taught me humility.’
Others who came included Cabinet ministers, grassroots leaders, retirees and diplomats, in cars flying their national flags.
Some foreigners were seen queuing in the lines to pay their respects too. Among them was Mr Teodoro Grignani, 38, an Italian, whose eyes teared up when he spoke to the straitstimes.com reporter.
‘She was a great person, always standing behind a great man. She did a lot for Singapore,’ said Mr Girgnani, who moved to Singapore in 1973.
Inside the foyer of Sri Temasek, the visitors signed a condolence book before they walked past the casket in groups of eight to 10 to bid their farewell to Mrs Lee. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the elder son of Mr and Mrs Lee, and his wife, Ms Ho Ching, stood nearby and acknowledged the visitors passing by.
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