Thousands gather for funeral of Lee Kuan Yew

Torrential rain did nothing to dampen the resolve of thousands paying tribute to Singapore’s first prime minister. Lee Kuan Yew’s funeral procession covered 15.4 kilometres through the city-state to reach the National University of Singapore, where services were held. Carried on a ceremonial gun carriage, Lee’s coffin was led, at times briskly and always under tight security, from parliament, past local landmarks. Mourners began to gather early in the morning to be sure of a spot to watch the whole procession. The funeral attracted dignitaries from all corners of the globe, including William Hague, representing the UK, former US President Bill Clinton, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. Lee died on March 23, 2015, at the age of 91. He is credited with transforming Singapore from a British colonial outpost to one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Some 1.2 million Singaporeans have formally paid their respects to the leader, while nearly half a million queued to file past his body as it lay in state at parliament.