Lee Kuan Yew lies in state as Singaporeans bid farewell

A vigil guard marches to his position beside the coffin of the late Lee Kuan Yew at the Parliament House where he will lie in state for four days, Wednesday, March 25, 2015, in Singapore. AP

SINGAPORE — Singaporeans stood in silence Wednesday as Lee Kuan Yew’s coffin traveled on a ceremonial gun carriage a short distance from the presidential palace to Parliament, where thousands lined up to pay respects to the city-state’s founder before a funeral this weekend.

Lee, 91, died Monday at Singapore General Hospital after more than a month of battling severe pneumonia. The government declared a week of mourning for the leader who is credited with transforming the resource-poor island into a wealthy finance and trade hub with low crime and corruption in a region saddled with graft, instability and poverty.

Hundreds of mourners lined the street outsides the presidential palace, where Lee’s remains lay at a two-day private wake, as the carriage with his coffin draped with a Singapore flag in a glass case was escorted by Singapore’s prime minister and his eldest son, Lee Hsien Loong, and other children.

Many raised smartphones to record the procession and some were heard chanting Lee’s name quietly and others applauded. Roads nearby were closed despite peak-hour traffic.

Outside Parliament, people formed a long line to view Lee’s body, some carrying umbrellas to protect against the tropical sun.

Lee will lie in state in ahead of a state funeral at the National University of Singapore on Sunday.

Among those attending will be Southeast Asian heads of state, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India, Tony Abbott of Australia and Britain’s David Cameron.