SINGAPORE: Countries including India and New Zealand have announced that they would be flying their National Flags at half-mast on Sunday, to mark the State Funeral for Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
NEW ZEALAND
A Channel NewsAsia viewer who wanted to remain unnamed sent us this photo of the New Zealand Flag flying at half-mast at the country’s Parliament House.
HONG KONG
More than 500 people turned up to watch the live telecast of the state funeral of Mr Lee Kuan Yew in Hong Kong.
People started streaming in to the venue before noontime ahead of the telecast with many dressed in black to mourn the death of Singapore’s founding prime minister.
The Consulate-General of Singapore in Hong Kong, the Singapore Association of Hong Kong and the Singapore Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong, had organised the event at Central Plaza on Hong Kong island.
“The biggest tribute you can have for Mr Lee is to uphold his ideals and his principles. Let us all work together to build an even better and more prosperous Singapore,” said Jacky Foo, Singapore Consul-General to Hong Kong.
SOUTH KOREA
Singaporeans living in South Korea gathered in Seoul to watch the State Funeral of Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
CHINA
In Beijing, more than 300 people gathered at a hotel ballroom to watch the live broadcast of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s State Funeral.
The event was organised by the Singapore Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China. People turned up in droves, dressed mostly in black and white. Some went alone while others went with families and friends.
Loretta Perera, a Singaporean living in Beijing, said: “I wish that I was home. Still, I’m glad that there’s an event like this, where I feel a bit closer to home.”
Steven Toh, a Singaporean on holiday in Beijing, said: “I felt quite welled up as I saw his cortege pass by our people lining the streets and as they shouted “Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Lee Kuan Yew”. I actually cried. I wished I was there, with the people and with him.”
MALAYSIA
More than 100 people gathered at the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to watch the State Funeral of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Some were moved to tears after listening to a eulogy by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to his father during the funeral.
Singaporeans and members of the public also took time to sign the condolence book at the High Commission during the event.
Catherine Winifred, a Singaporean living in Malaysia, said: “It does make me feel really proud because I don’t think there are many world leaders who can have a whole nation mourn for them when they go.”
Cheah Tuck Wing, a Malaysian national, said: “I do not know him personally. But after watching and reading about him, not only myself, I believe a lot of Malaysians felt the big loss.”
At the end of the State Funeral, Singaporeans in Kuala Lumpur recited the National Pledge.
BHUTAN
Bhutan lowered its national flag to half mast as a mark of respect for the State Funeral of Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
MYANMAR
Singapore Embassy and the Singapore Association of Myanmar organised a memorial event in Yangon to mark the death of Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew Singaporeans 300 Singaporeans living in Myanmar attended the event.
Also there to pay his respects wasthe speaker of the Lower House of Parliament. Thura Shwe Mann said Mr Lee wished for Myanmar to become like Singapore – to achieve global status in areas of economic and social development.
He also commended Mr Lee on his courage to make tough decisions that were important for Singapore and helped it to become the successful country it is today.
“His value lies in how he benefited his community,” said Thura Shwe Mann. “Even though Mr Lee is gone, his achievements remain forever.”
PHILIPPINES
Singaporeans, including families and businessmen, as well as Filipinos gathered at the Singapore Embassy to watch the State Funeral of Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
As tributes and anecdotes were shared in Singapore, tears stained the faces of many, while laughter at certain stories lifted the mood.
At the event, Mr Peter Tay, head of the Singapore Philippines Association, said: “It is a way for us to show our last respects for a person who created Singapore… He will be remembered for his achievements. He did a lot for Singapore. Singapore in the world map is only a red dot, but I think around the world everybody knows him.”
JAPAN
Around 100 people were at the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo for the screening of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s State Funeral.
Japanese Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa, speaking to Channel NewsAsia at the memorial event, said she believes Mr Lee contributed to the building of deep ties between Japan and Singapore. She was speaking on behalf of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was in Singapore to attend Mr Lee’s State Funeral.
Over 1,500 people, including 90 VIPs, have signed the book of condolence at the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo since Mr Lee died on Monday.
For one woman, it was her third time visiting the embassy to pay tribute to Mr Lee. She said: “I’m in Japan for 18 years. I’m a permanent resident in Japan. But I love him (Mr Lee) for he’s done so much for Singapore. He lived for Singapore and died for Singapore.”
THAILAND
More than 200 people were at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok to watch the State Funeral. Among the audience were those who had travelled in to the Thai capital just to watch the telecast.
“We’ve had Singaporeans taking a nine hour bus ride from Chiang Mai to come and sign book,” said Singapore Ambassador to Thailand Chua Siew San. “People flew in from other provinces also – all unanimously said this was the least they could do for what Mr Lee has given us.”
“Among us Singaporeans here, we do feel the loss and that’s why today we are gathered here and we share the mood here and of course this is the last journey for our great founding Prime Minister Mr Lee,” said Dannis Lee, a businessman.
Andrzej Przemyslaw Kusnierczak, a lecturer at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, said: “My country of origin is Poland and Poland had a lot of wars before and now we have a problem because of Russian aggression in Ukraine. Actually the world really needs leaders like Mr Lee – leaders with vision, with ambition and with unlimited motivation.”
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
