SINGAPORE - A memorial to commemorate Singapore's pioneer leaders will be located at Bay East Garden.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday (Aug 8) said the Government has accepted the recommendation of the Founders' Memorial Committee for the memorial to be located in the garden.

In his annual National Day Message, PM Lee noted that a clear majority of people had supported having the site at Bay East when the committee sought views from the public.

The other option was Fort Canning Park.

"This is a wise choice," said PM Lee, who delivered his message at Bay East Garden. "Here, looking across the Bay and beyond, we can remember the values of our founding leaders, see what they have built, and commit ourselves to continue building Singapore."

The 15-member committee in charge of conceptualising the memorial submitted a report to the Government last week, which was made public on Monday. It engaged more than 32,000 people over two years for their views.

It recommended that the proposed memorial sit by the waterfront, in a family-friendly park with a view of the city skyline showcasing Singapore's progress.

A possible timeframe for completion is eight years - by 2025 - so as to "capture public enthusiasm and hopes for the memorial" when Singapore's 60th anniversary comes around.

The committee suggested that the memorial have an indoor gallery with space for permanent and temporary sections.

The memorial could house artefacts as well, said the committee, which also recommended that the memorial's programming calendar dovetail with important events like National Day and climax in a Founders' Day or Week.

With the Government giving the green light, the project will go into the implementation phase. Another committee will be appointed to oversee it.