Funeral service to involve people who reflect Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy

SINGAPORE — When the gun carriage bearing Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s body arrives at the University Cultural Centre (UCC), it will be received by a Line of Honour, comprising 48 personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Military Police Command.

They will invert their weapons — called “Resting on Arms Reversed”, which is the highest form of respect the SAF can pay to the deceased — and bow their heads as a mark of respect.

The Coffin Bearer Party, comprising eight senior officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Police Force, will then carry the national flag-draped coffin towards the UCC, slow-marching to the tune of Dead March from Saul performed by the SAF Military Band.

Behind them, Chief Mourner, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and other family members will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, labour chief Lim Swee Say, and 14 other pall-bearers representing the various fields in which the late Mr Lee made special contributions.

The 14 other pall bearers include:

• Two long-time members of the labour movement, former and current NTUC presidents, John De Payva and Diana Chia, respectively

• Four representatives from the fields pertaining to Mr Lee’s contributions in building a safe, secure and harmonious Singapore, such as Ambassador-at-Large Dr Chan Heng Chee and Staff Sergeant (Ret) Kang Lye Teck, who was in the inaugural cohort of National Servicemen in 1967

• Two representatives of Mr Lee’s legacy in infrastructure development: PUB Chairman Tan Gee Paw and Mr Pok Sheung Foo, who was part of the team which studied and planned for Singapore’s first MRT lines

• Two representatives marking Mr Lee’s lifelong commitment to education: Incoming Director-General of Education Wong Siew Hoong, and LKY-STEP Award recipient Qurratu ‘Ain Aminurrashid

• Three others, including Singapore Airlines flight stewardess Ann Marie Leong

• Director for Conservation at National Parks Board Wong Tuan Wah, who will represent Mr Lee’s achievements in greening Singapore.

Upon entering the UCC, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra will start performing J S Bach’s Air from Orchestral Suite No 3 in D Major, before the casket is placed on the bier for the start of the funeral service.

Mr Peter Ong, Head of Civil Service, will be the Master of Ceremony for the service, during which 10 eulogies will be presented, with PM Lee the first to do so.

After the late Mr Lee’s second son Lee Hsien Yang concludes his eulogy, PM Lee and President Tony Tan will lay two wreaths, before a lone bugler from the SAF Military Band will sound the Last Post — representing a final salute to the deceased.

This will be followed by the first time ever the SCDF Public Warning System siren will be used to signal the start of a minute of silence.

Subsequently, a bugle call known as The Rouse will be sounded as a symbolic call back to duty after respect has been paid to the memory of the deceased.

Finally, attendees of the funeral service will collectively recite the National Pledge and sing the National Anthem. All Singaporeans across the island are encouraged to join in.

The State Funeral Service comes to an end when the casket is marched out of the UCC Hall.

Eight pallbearers representing Mr Lee’s long-time Tanjong Pagar ward will send him off for a private cremation service at Mandai Crematorium. Some of these are Mr Lee’s stalwart political comrades such as Mr Ch’ng Jit Koon and Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee.

When the cortege arrives at Mandai Crematorium, Mr Lee will be received by medical staff who looked after him in his final years, as well as the Personal Security Officers who protected him for over 50 years.