Top leaders and politicians including President Tony Tan Keng Yam attended the wake of former Cabinet Minister Chua Sian Chin on Friday, and hailed him as one of the stalwarts of Singapore's pioneer generation.

Dr Tan said Mr Chua was his senior in the Cabinet, and had headed the Home Affairs ministry at a time when the crime situation was challenging. But he made Singapore safe through stamping out drug and secret society threats.

"He's an inspiration, going forward, to young people serving the country. We will miss him," said Dr Tan.

Mr Chua was at his Chestnut Drive home on Wednesday night when he started to exhibit signs of a heart attack. He was rushed to the National University Hospital, where he died of heart failure three hours later. He was 81.

In a political career that spanned 23 years, he also helmed the Health and Education ministries.

The former Macpherson MP was elected into Parliament in 1968, after an earlier failed bid, and retired from politics in 1991. He was conferred the Order of Nila Utama (Second Class) in 1990,

Others who turned up at his wake included Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat and former Deputy Prime Minister Minister Wong Kan Seng.