Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday confirmed he will attend the funeral of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, saying the Singaporean leader was "the father of his nation".

Mr Abbott said in a statement that he will join other national leaders at the funeral on Sunday.

"Lee Kuan Yew was the father of his nation, guiding Singapore's remarkable transformation from the third world to the first," Mr Abbott said.

"He was a leading international statesman of his time, and laid the foundation upon which successive Singaporean and Australian Governments have built a strong relationship."

Mr Abbott has described Mr Lee as a "giant of our region".

"Sunday will be a day on which to celebrate Mr Lee's many achievements, as well as to mourn his passing," he added.