Mr Lee Kuan Yew's State Funeral procession to pass significant markers

SINGAPORE — Singaporeans will have one last chance to pay tribute to their late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew during his State Funeral Procession this Sunday (March 29), which will wind through the city and heartland areas on its way to the funeral service to be held at the University Cultural Centre (UCC), National University of Singapore.

After Mr Lee’s casket leaves Parliament House for the last time at 12.30pm that day, the procession will traverse a 15.4km route which will pass significant landmarks, starting from Old Parliament House, City Hall and Padang, where Mr Lee oversaw the country’s first National Day Parade 50 years ago.

This will be followed by the NTUC Centre and the Trade Union House, landmarks related to his early political career — he fought cases for ordinary workers initially, then went on to cultivate strong tripartite relations, which were crucial for the Republic’s rapid economic development.

Along the way, the procession will also go past Bukit Merah and Queenstown, towns where the earliest public housing were developed in the 1960s, as well as Singapore Polytechnic, the oldest established here in 1954. The entire procession will be telecast live on national television and radio, as well as online at www.rememberingleekuanyew.sg.

At UCC, Head of Civil Service Peter Ong will be the Master of Ceremony for the funeral service which will be held from 2pm to 5.15pm. Attendees include members of the late Mr Lee’s family, the President of Singapore, Cabinet Ministers, the Judiciary, Members of Parliament, foreign leaders, as well as Singaporeans from all walks of life.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will give the first of 10 eulogies at the service, followed by President Tony Tan Keng Yam and the late Mr Lee’s successor, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

Former Old Guard and colleagues Ong Pang Boon, S Dhanabalan and Sidek Saniff are also slated to give eulogy speeches, alongside trade unionist G Muthukumarasamy and Mr Leong Chun Loong, a community leader in Mr Lee’s Tanjong Pagar ward.

Former journalist Cassandra Chew will speak after them before Mr Lee’s youngest son, Mr Lee Hsien Yang, delivers the final eulogy.

After the end of the funeral service, the late Mr Lee will make his final journey to Mandai Crematorium. The cremation service will be private.

Meanwhile, some companies have said they will not operate on Sunday as a mark of respect to Mr Lee. These include Singapore Pools — the 4D draw that day will continue, with results posted on its website thereafter — and department store Metro.