Spanish club Valencia, who are owned by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim, led a host of leading European football clubs that expressed its condolences on the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s founding father and first prime minister.
Valencia, which Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim, acquired a majority share in late last year, posted on its website yesterday a message from fellow Singaporean Chan Lay Hoon, who is also president of the club’s board.
“Valencia CF’s majority shareholder, Mr Peter Lim, and my fellow Singaporean directors of the board are deeply saddened by the passing of Singapore’s founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
“Together with our fellow Singaporeans, we salute the late Mr Lee’s complete devotion to Singapore. Truly, as Mr Lee Hsien Loong has said, ‘We won’t see another like him.’
“Our hearts go out to the family of the late Mr Lee. May they be comforted by the knowledge that he had lived life to the fullest and had left a transformative and indelible mark in this world. Rest in peace, Mr Lee.”
English Premier League sides Chelsea and Arsenal, who have a huge following in Singapore, also expressed their sympathies.
“Everybody at Chelsea Football Club is saddened to hear the passing of Singapore’s founding father and first Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew,” the club’s Facebook post read.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the Lee family and to all Singaporeans at this time of sorrow and remembrance for a great man and leader.”
Similarly, in a letter addressed to the “Singapore Gunners”, Arsenal’s supporter liaison officer Mark Brindle wrote: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of Lee Kuan Yew. On behalf of Arsenal Football Club, I would like to send our respect and heartfelt sympathies to you during this difficult time in Singapore.”
German club Borussia Dortmund, which plan to visit Singapore as part of the club’s pre-season tour of Asia this year, also posted a message on its Facebook page, wrote yesterday: “Our thoughts are with his (Mr Lee’s) family and all the people in Singapore.”
Mr Lee, Singapore’s first prime minister from 1965 to 1990, died at 3.18am on Monday (March 23) at the age 91.
Source: www.todayonline.com
