Singapore and the world mourn Mr Lee Kuan Yew
SINGAPORE — The Republic lost its founding Prime Minister yesterday (March 23), and the world mourned the death of a global statesman.
The announcement in the wee hours of the morning — Mr Lee Kuan Yew died at 3.18am, and the Prime Minister’s Office’s announced his death a little after 4am — left many at a loss for words, coming as it did at the end of a week during which Singaporeans feared the worst after a series of statements chronicling his failing health made the front pages of local newspapers on successive days.
Over the course of the day, tens of thousands continuously thronged sites across the island — including the Istana main gate, Parliament House, Tanjong Pagar Community Club and the Singapore General Hospital, where Mr Lee had been warded — to pen their tributes and condolence messages.
Singaporeans from all walks of life also took to social media to pay tribute to Mr Lee, whose death came only months before Singapore’s 50th National Day.
The Republic’s embassies and consulates across Asia saw streams of Singaporeans and locals turning up to sign condolence books, while global leaders past and present wrote of the sadness they felt after the loss of “a giant of history who will be remembered for generations to come”, in the words of United States President Barack Obama. In his condolence note — among the first to arrive from a world leader — Mr Obama said his discussions with Mr Lee in 2009 were pivotal to the US’ policy of rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping described Mr Lee as a “uniquely influential statesman in Asia”, while India Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him “a lion among leaders”.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hailed Mr Lee’s “incomparable leadership and unparalleled insights” and praised him for playing a key role “not only in achieving Singapore’s remarkable economic growth and prosperity, but also in securing peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region and the world”. Regional leaders including Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and Indonesian President Joko Widodo also paid tribute to Mr Lee’s leadership.
Corporate bigwigs here and abroad also expressed their condolences, as did some of his political adversaries. Even football clubs in Germany and England took to social media to offer their condolences.
While Mr Lee had been in ill health for more than a month, his death hit Singaporeans hard. As the hearse carrying his body made its way to Sri Temasek, the official residence of the Prime Minister within the Istana grounds, where a private wake was held, many members of the public who gathered outside the Istana main gate could not contain their emotions. Cries of “Mr Lee! Mr Lee!” erupted.
Just hours after the announcement of the death, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong addressed Singaporeans in a live broadcast. In a voice choked with emotion, and a visage etched with grief, the Prime Minister said: “To many Singaporeans, and indeed others too, Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore... Singapore was his abiding passion. He gave of himself, in full measure, to Singapore...I am grieved beyond words at the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. I know that we all feel the same way.”
Other members of the Cabinet were also despondent, as they wrote heartfelt tributes to the man who had been so influential in their political careers. Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, who was Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s principal private secretary, said he did not have the words to express his gratitude for everything that he has done for Singapore, while Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin expressed a similar sentiment: “One is at loss for words in moments like this. How does one fully articulate a nation’s grief or pay tribute?”
Law and Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam said: “Mr Lee is no more. I am tearing as I write this. What is there to say about Mr Lee Kuan Yew that has not already been said?”
He added: “Each time I think about him now, I tear. Each time I read a tribute to him, I choke. It is difficult to describe in words, the grief I feel.”
With flags flying at half-mast, and students in all public schools observing a minute of silence during morning assemblies, the Republic began its week-long mourning period. Moments after the Prime Minister’s Office announced details where Singaporeans could sign condolence books and pen their tributes, long queues started to form.
S N Pillai, 50, was among the first in line at the Istana. The security guard is a long-time resident in Mr Lee’s Tanjong Pagar ward, and recalled how Mr Lee had told him to study hard some four decades ago.
Another Tanjong Pagar resident, Loke Wai Tong, 76, said Mr Lee had taken care of everything the residents needed. “We lost somebody who fought for us against the British, fought for our rights.” Mr Loke said.
Tanjong Pagar GRC Member of Parliament Indranee Rajah told reporters how Mr Lee always had the interests of the common man at heart despite the weighty job of steering the nation. “One thing which struck me or lasted as a memory was during the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) period... One question that he asked during that period was: What about the taxi drivers? How is this affecting their ability to earn a living? Because he knew at that time... people were reluctant to go on public transport or to take public taxis. His immediate concern... was for their welfare,” said Ms Indranee. “In the midst of all the big picture planning, he did not forget the common man.”
Young Singaporeans also joined in the expressions of grief, with many saying they learnt about Mr Lee from their parents. One, student Christopher Lim, 15, said: “He is a great man, someone who has helped Singapore accomplish a lot. My parents always told me how grateful we should be to him.”
Later yesterday afternoon, meanwhile, some 1,200 visitors, including Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing and SGH nurses, paid their last respects at the private wake at the Istana. Many could not hold back their emotions, and emerged teary-eyed. The private wake ends today, and Mr Lee’s body will lie in state at Parliament House from tomorrow to Saturday. A state funeral service will be held on Sunday.
Mr Ho Nam Hua, 67, had left a message on Sunday at Teck Ghee Community Club for Mr Lee. He was back again yesterday and he intends to pay his respects at Parliament House tomorrow. “I woke up at 7 plus and turned on the television. When I saw the news, I cried and woke up my son up,” he said in Mandarin. “(On Sunday) I came here to leave a message ‘Mr Lee, get well soon’. Today I wrote ‘Mr Lee, please go well’.”
