MELBOURNE- Singaporeans are not only queuing here, but all over the world, to pay their last respects to Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
In Melbourne, Australia, over 700 people attended memorial services to honour Singapore's first Prime Minister, who died on Monday aged 91.
A video by Singaporean Shawn Koh, who is studying in Melbourne, shows a line made up mostly of Singaporeans, waiting for a memorial service to start.
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a queue of about 400 people for the 2nd session of the Lee Kuan Yew Memorial service in Melbourne, Australia
Posted by Shawn Koh Jyh Shen on Friday, 27 March 2015
There were two services on Saturday jointly organised by social clubs Melbourne SG Kampong group, Australia Malay Foundation, and Singapore Merlion Club, and non-profit organisation Singaporeans of Victoria. One session was attended by about 300 people, while about 400 turned up at the other.
Mr Koh said that the one-hour service at a function hall featured eulogies from Singaporeans, live streaming of people in Singapore paying their last respects to Mr Lee at Parliament House, and tribute videos. He waited for an hour in line before the service started.
When one woman stood up during the service and asked everyone to give Mr Lee a standing ovation, "the crowd just got emotional and clapped loudly," he said.
The service, he said, was "the best thing we could do for Mr Lee being so far from home".
"Being together with Singaporeans all over Victoria made it memorable and showed the impact he made on Singaporeans from all walks of life no matter where they are in the world."
People in Singapore here have been standing in line for up to 10 hours to pay their last respects to Mr Lee at Parliament House.
Memorial services are being held by Singaporeans in several countries including the United States, Britain and China. More information can be found on www.overseassingaporean.sg.
