Singapore Former Leader Lee Sends Off Late Wife
October 06 2010 - 5:29AM
Dow Jones News
The final rites for the wife of Singapore's modern founder Lee
Kuan Yew took place Wednesday, with the elder statesman walking
unaided behind his wife's casket despite concerns over his own
health.
Kwa Geok Choo died last Saturday after being bedridden for two
years following multiple strokes. She was 89.
Her private funeral was set Wednesday evening, following a wave
of public sympathy for one of Southeast Asia's most influential
political families.
Two of the three leaders that Singapore has known since its
independence in 1965--Kwa's husband Lee Kuan Yew, her son and
current premier Lee Hsien Loong--followed the casket as part of the
funeral cortege.
Kwa's death has sparked concerns over the health of her husband,
Lee Kuan Yew, 87, who was hospitalized last Wednesday with a chest
infection. There has been no official confirmation whether he has
been discharged.
Although Kwa has never held any official post, her casket was
taken to the funeral on a ceremonial gun carriage "in recognition
of her exceptional and unique contributions to Singapore for more
than five decades, beginning before Singapore became independent,"
the government said late Tuesday. The use of the carriage is an
honor usually reserved for state and military funerals.
Footage aired Wednesday on local TV station Channel NewsAsia
showed the elder Lee walking slowly and unaided behind his wife's
casket ahead of the funeral service. He showed little emotion in
brief TV grabs from Channel NewsAsia Wednesday.
The local Straits Times newspaper reported Wednesday that Lee
Kuan Yew would deliver a eulogy titled "A Last Farewell To My
Wife." Her three children and several grandchildren would also
speak, the paper said on its website.
The elder Lee was Singapore's Prime Minister from 1965, when it
broke away from Malaysia, until 1990, when he handed over the reins
to Goh. Lee's son, Lee Hsien Loong, is now Prime Minister.
Kwa was married to Lee for 63 years, and was widely credited for
her quiet influence over Singapore's transformation from a small
trading port to a gleaming commercial center. Once one of
Singapore's top lawyers, she is portrayed by local media as an
exemplary woman who faithfully aided her husband through the
nation's roughest patches while he held office.
Lee Kuan Yew, who holds the official title of "Minister Mentor"
in Singapore's cabinet, is still influential in the city-state, and
his advice is widely sought globally.
He had or still holds advisory positions for the Government of
Singapore Investment Corp., the Peterson Institute for
International Economics, Citigroup Inc., French oil company Total
S.A., Daimler Benz and JPMorgan, among others.
Lee recently said he had to keep busy to stop thinking about his
wife's condition.
"I try to busy myself, but from time to time in idle moments, my
mind goes back to the happy days we were up and about together," he
said of his wife in an interview with the New York Times, weeks
before her death.
-By Chun Han Wong; Dow Jones Newswires; 65 64154 202;
chunhan.wong@dowjones.com
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