SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was at the Lee Clan Gala Dinner on Saturday (Nov 5) night, according to a post on his Facebook page.

He mentioned that there were 2,000 Lees in the room, including "1,000 from overseas" - which he considered "not so many, considering there are 130 million Lees in the world".

Calling it a "triple celebration", he mentioned that it was the "annual reunion of Lee clan associations from around the world" that was hosted in Singapore this time. It also marked the 110th year of the Singapore Lee Clan General Association and celebrated the renovation of its Jalan Besar headquarters.

In the post, PM Lee highlighted the role the Lee Clan Association, like other clan groups, has played in "building Singapore".

Among its activities are social work, and supporting culture and education.

He also fondly recalled a clan scholarship he received from the association in 1970 when he graduated from school.

In his 10-minute speech in Mandarin, PM Lee explained the background of the Lee surname, mentioning that it originated from China's Henan province.

He also expressed his hope that the association would continue to strengthen the sense of belonging of Singaporeans and advance societal harmony, as well as mentioned his delight that the present generation of Lees have demonstrated their gratitude to previous generations.