And so it ends. After a hectic seven-day period of National Mourning filled with sadness, tributes, long queues and ultimate devotion, Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew has finally gone to rest, surrounded and beloved by his family, friends, and the people he lead in the country he helped build. 

His legacy reverberated through the day of his State Funeral, where the National University of Singapore played host to an assembly of family members, local and foreign political leaders as well as Singaporeans from all walks of life who witnessed and paid tribute to the late statesman. Here are the highlights from the 10 eulogies delivered today. 

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong 

“I remember the day he told me, while we were playing golf at the Istana, that should anything happen to him, he wanted me to look after my mother and my younger brother and sister.

Growing up with my father, living through those years with him, made me what I am.

This year is the 50th anniversary of Singapore’s independence. We all hoped that Mr Lee would be present with us on August 9 to celebrate this significant milestone. More than anybody else, it was he who fought for multi­racialism, which ultimately led to independence as a sovereign republic. It was he who united our people, built a nation, and made our 50th anniversary worth celebrating. Sadly, it is not to be.”

President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam

“Every National Day, we looked forward to seeing Mr Lee. I remember vividly our National Day Parade two years ago.  There had been some uncertainty about Mr Lee’s health.  While I was waiting to enter the Floating Platform to officiate the Parade, suddenly I heard a huge roar, a cheer, — the biggest that day.  My staff informed me that Mr Lee had just made his entrance to take his seat. That roar captured the feelings of a nation, of all of us, towards Mr Lee.  It rang with respect, affection, friendship and deep emotional attachment.  It is not something that can be easily put into words. But I know that all Singaporeans, in their hearts, understand what I am talking about. It was the sound of one nation united.

We will miss Mr Lee at this year’s National Day Parade.  But he will be foremost in our minds.  And in our hearts.”

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong

“Mr Lee has completed his life-journey. He transformed our lives. He touched our hearts. We grieve.

But I believe Mr Lee would say, “What to do? This is life.” He would want us to move on with the Singapore Story. He would want us to fight our own battles and conquer our own peaks. He would want Singapore to succeed long after he is gone.

We must honour him.”

Former Cabinet Minister Ong Pang Boon

“He was a dedicated Prime Minister with broad perspectives. During Cabinet meetings, there would sometimes be differing views on certain issues, but after active discussion, he was able to accept alternative views and ideas.

I served in the Cabinet until 1984. What  struck me most about Mr Lee was his complete passion for Singapore. He spent every moment thinking of how he could improve Singapore and Singaporeans’ lives. Once he decided that a certain policy was in the interest of his beloved Singapore, he would implement it, even if it meant making himself unpopular.”

Former Cabinet Minister S. Dhanabalan

“He was convinced that for our nation to be distinct and different  from other nations we had to be multi-lingual with English as the main language of administration and commerce.  But each racial group must maintain its cultural identity with their mother tongue as a second language. To convert Chinese schools into national type schools and push for Mandarin against Chinese dialects were the acts of an idealist not the acts of a pragmatist.

To-day we come to say our farewell to Mr Lee Kuan Yew who is in a complete sense the Father of our Singapore that we know.  Up to the very end he was committed to this nation.  In the words of Tennyson, though ‘made weak by time and fate’ he remained ‘strong in will’, determined not to ‘rust unburnished’ but ‘to shine in use’.

Farewell Sir.”

Former Senior Minister of State Sidek Bin Saniff

“Mr Lee, we would like to assure you that your legacy remains intact. We shall always cherish your advice, especially in governing. You said: “If you want to be popular all the time, you will misgovern”. And you always urged us to be pragmatic. And above all, you insisted we remain honest and clean. Two characteristics that have deep solid meaning.

PM, SM, MM, farewell.

Farewell, my friend. Farewell.”

Trade unionist G. Muthukumarasamy

“When I was young, my father would often tell me about Mr Lee. Mr Lee saw the hardships experienced by the Indian community at the time and he was determined to help and make a difference. During those days, most Indian families had single incomes because they did not allow their women to work.

However, Mr Lee greatly encouraged and emboldened Indian women to join the workforce, to learn a skill and help their families financially. As more Indian women started to work, their families began to earn higher incomes. Because Mr Lee had also made sure that public housing was affordable, the combined incomes of the husband and wife enabled Indian families to purchase a basic house and start families. Today, we see many dual-income families in the Indian community. We have to thank Mr Lee for that.”

Tanjong Pagar community leader Leong Chun Loong

“Back in the early days, Chinese New Year celebrations would kick off with the lighting of firecrackers, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. There was a particular case when the firecrackers were lit but did not go off. Getting impatient, the MC decided to move on to play the National Anthem, but then the firecrackers went off. We thought it was quite funny but Mr Lee was not amused at all. He told us later: “If we can’t even do this right, how do we run the country?” 

This incident showed us how serious he was about all things concerning Singapore and how he always expected us to do our best.”

Former journalist Cassandra Chew

“To me, Mr Lee had transformed from an elderly statesman who our textbooks say did a lot for us but didn’t quite seem relevant to my daily life, to a man for whom I developed a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation. So much of Singapore began to make sense to me now that I had seen the world through his eyes.

I decided to try to express my thanks again, and wrote him a Thank You card. I had so much to say, but did not know how to say it, and ended up writing four simple lines. A few weeks later, I received a reply. True to his personality, his response was brief and to the point. “Thank you”, he wrote, and signed off as “LKY”. I was thrilled to have heard back from him, but a little sad that I did not convey what I felt in my heart.

This is my last chance. Mr Lee, thank you for everything. Some days I cannot believe how fortunate I am to have been born a Singaporean. We don’t have everything, but we have more than most, because of your lifelong labour. On behalf of young Singaporeans everywhere, I’d like to say: thank you.” 

Lee Kuan Yew’s second son Lee Hsien Yang

“Many know how privileged Singaporeans are to have benefited from my father’s contributions to building our nation. I know that growing up as his son, I have also been privileged to have witnessed what it means to be a good man, a good husband, a good father and grandfather.

To Singapore and Singaporeans, Papa was at various times PM, SM, MM. But whatever his office he was actually always LKY. Even after he stopped being MM, people found it awkward to refer to him by anything other than this alphabet soup.  But to his grandchildren, he was always Ye Ye, and to Fern and me, he was and will always be Papa.  We will miss him dearly.”

Photo & Video: Channel NewsAsia