Monday 30 March 2015

Mourners holding the Singapore flag as they wait for Mr Lees cortege to pass through Jalan Bukit Merah. Photo: Robin Choo

Bukit Merah: one of the original estates in Mr Lees housing master plan

Show of kindness in the crowd

Road dividers here were
decorated with flowers collected
from various tribute sites
VALERIE KOH AND JORDON SIMPSON

valeriekohsf@mediacorp.com.sg

ike many Singaporeans, banker

Kelvin Tan wanted to catch
founding Prime Minister Lee
Kuan Yews State Funeral procession
in person. But instead of heading to the
Padang, where a fly-past and a 21-gun
salute were to be held, the 35-year-old
decided to join the mourners along Jalan Bukit Merah.
I figured thered be a big crowd at
the Padang, so I went to the heartlands
to ensure thered be enough support for
him elsewhere and that he would have
a proper send-off, he said.
And as with the outpouring of goodwill seen from Singaporeans when they
queued to pay respects to Mr Lee at
Parliament House, MrTan, who lives
in Farrer Park, also decided to do something for the growing crowd.
With more than three hours to go

Even if it rains heavily, we wont change our plans. Mr Lee did so much
for us over the past 50 years and he never tired. Why would I be tired
waiting for this short while?
Mdm Choy Chee Kwan, 45

before the cortege reached Jalan Bukit

Merah, Mr Tan went to the nearby
IKEA store and bought five stools two
for his wife and himself and the other
three he offered to others in thecrowd.
Madam Choy Chee Kwan, 45, one of
those who received a stool, was appreciative. With an umbrella to shelter herself from the rain, she told TODAY that
this was her fourth and final goodbye
to Mr Lee. She had previously visited
Parliament House to pay her respects,
as well as the community tribute sites
in Tanjong Pagar and at the Singapore
Botanic Gardens.
Speaking in Mandarin, she said:
Even if it rains heavily, we wont
change our plans. Mr Lee did so much
for us over the past 50 years and he
never tired. Why would I be tired waiting for this short while?
Mr Tan Wee Tuck, 46, a finance

executive, said: This is a once-in-alifetime opportunity to show our appreciation for the man who had done
so much for this country.
Others shared the same sentiments
as they flanked the road, huddling under umbrellas and in ponchos. Even
while the drizzle turned into a downpour, most stayed put. Some sought
shelter under a nearby block of flats and
crowded around an electronics shop,
which was showing the live telecast of
the funeral procession.
Others, such as 61-year-old Aileen
Kwek, watched the live stream on their
mobile phones. Mdm Kwek, a patient
service officer, waited by the road with
her sister, a stroke patient who uses a
wheelchair. We didnt have a chance
to go to Parliament House because it
was too crowded and I couldnt take my
sister there. This is our last chance to

pay respects. I feel very sad, she said.

Road dividers along Jalan Bukit
Merah were decorated with flowers in
tribute to Mr Lee. The flowers were collected during the seven days of national
mourning at the various tribute sites
and donated to Tanjong Pagar GRC.
National Environment Agency
(NEA) staff, whose office is nearby,
were also present. As a mark of respect to Mr Lee, more than 100 of our
officers who are not on duty elsewhere
have voluntarily organised themselves
in a line-up outside our premises, said
an NEA spokesperson.
When the cortege arrived at Jalan
Bukit Merah at 1.20pm, the crowd shouted as one: Lee Kuan Yew, we love you!
Retiree Chan Yow Pheng said in
Mandarin: Everyone around me was
shouting. So I shouted loudly too. Later,
after the crowds dispersed, Mr Chan,
73, lingered by the electronics shop to
watch the eulogies delivered during the
funeral service, which were broadcast
on television.
He said: By the time I go back home,
itll be too late. Ill just watch it here for
a little longer.