From Istana to Parliament House

For the last time, Mr Lee Kuan Yew left Sri Temasek yesterday (March 25), with a send-off by eight personal staff who had served and worked closely with him. At 9am, after a private farewell with his family, Mr Lee's casket was placed on a gun carriage and the funeral procession began. Passing the garden, the procession was met by President Tony Tan and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong at the Istana Plaza, where they said their goodbyes, along with staff from the President’s Office and the Prime Minister’s Office, as well as Ceremonial Guards. From there, the procession passed through the main gate, beginning its journey towards Parliament House.

Exiting the Istana main gate, the procession was greeted by a sea of office workers, parents with young children in tow, retirees and youth. Passing through Orchard Road, Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road at a gentle pace, the procession was accompanied by occasional cries from the crowd calling Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s name.

Arriving at Parliament House, Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s casket was received by eight pallbearers representing the three branches of Government: The Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary.
Among them were Mr Benny Lim, Permanent Secretary (National Development, National Security and Intelligence Coordination and the Prime Minister’s Office); Mr Aaron Maniam, director of the industry division at the Ministry of Trade and Industry; and Mr See Kee Oon, Presiding Judge of the State Courts. Once the casket was placed in Parliament House, the first Vigil Guards — a first for a State funeral — began their watch, among them the Chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Visitors were ushered into Parliament House in groups of 30 to 40. Initially told to pause before Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s casket and then bow, visitors were later told to file past the casket instead before they were led out, so the queues could move more quickly. Joining the public were Cabinet ministers and foreign dignitaries, including ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh and Sultan Ibrahim of Johor, as well as President Tony Tan and his wife.

For hours, thousands waited in the sun until it was finally their turn to take a few precious minutes to say their final farewell to Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Undeterred by estimated waiting times that extended as long as eight hours, visitors formed long lines that snaked through the Central Business District, encouraged by simple acts of kindness provided by individuals along the way. Drinks, fans and snacks were among the items handed out and, by the evening, portable toilets were set up at Hong Lim Park.