Former Singapore leader Lee Kuan Yew is laid to rest

Singaporeans bade farewell to longtime leader Lee Kuan Yew yesterday with an elaborate procession and a three-hour state funeral at which his son, the current prime minister, eulogised the statesman and declared that the wealthy city-state he helped build is his monument.

Undeterred by heavy rain, about 100,000 people lined a 15km route through the city to catch a glimpse of the funeral cortege. Lee’s coffin, draped in Singapore’s red and white flag and protected from the downpour by a glass casing, lay atop a ceremonial gun carriage that was solemnly led past city landmarks from parliament to a cultural centre where the state funeral was held.

Along the way, crowds of people chanted “Lee Kuan Yew,” snapped photos with smartphones and waved Singapore’s flag.