Thousands of Singaporeans and
world leaders have lined the
streets to pay their respects to
the country's founding prime
minister.
Lee Kuan Yew, who served as
prime minister for 31 years, died
on Monday at the age of 91. He
had been suffering from
pneumonia.
After almost a week of national
mourning, Mr Lee's coffin was
taken from Parliament House to
the National University of
Singapore for a state funeral.
Over a million people have paid
their respects, officials say
Officials said more than a million
people have already paid their
respects to the former leader by
visiting tribute sites at
community centres across the
island.
"It has been a deeply moving
experience," Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong, Mr Lee's son, said in
a Facebook post thanking the
public.
The expansive show of emotion
is a rare event for Singapore.
Singapore is known around the
world as a wealthy Asian trade
and financial centre with a strict
social order including a ban on
chewing gum and caning for
some crimes.
Mr Lee ruled with an iron grip
until 1990 and is regarded by
Singaporeans as the architect of
the island's prosperity.
But his authoritarian rule has
also left a legacy of restrictions
on free speech, a tame media
and a stunted democracy.
Leaders and dignitaries from
more than two dozen countries
attended the state funeral.
Highlights of the procession
included a 21-gun salute by four
howitzers and a flyover by four
fighter jets.
The ceremony concluded with
the singing of the Malay-
language national anthem
Majulah Singapura (Onwards
Singapore).
Mr Lee's remains were then
driven to a private cremation
service.
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