Thousands queue to view Lee Kuan Yew founder of Singapore lying in state

Thousands of people in Singapore are queuing to pay tribute to late statesman Lee Kuan Yew as he lies in state in parliament.

His body was moved by gun carriage on Wednesday morning from his official residence and through the city.

Mr Lee, who died in hospital on Monday aged 91, led the city-state to independence and served as its prime minister for 31 years.

Singapore is observing a week of mourning ahead of Sunday's funeral.

Mr Lee's body has been resting at the Istana - the compound which houses the president's official residence and the prime minister's office - for a private family mourning period. Thousands have already left flowers and message at its gates and signed books of condolence.

His flag-draped coffin, accompanied by representatives of the military and government, was then carried from the Istana through the main shopping and business districts, before arriving at Parliament House.

Crowds cheered, clapped and chanted his name as the procession passed by.

The BBC's Tessa Wong says the mood was expectant, even a little festive, along the Bras Basah Road thoroughfare, where hundreds of people - including schoolchildren holding handmade signs stating "RIP Mr Lee" - had gathered by the roadside and on rooftops.

But as traffic cleared and the gun carriage rolled into view, a hush descended on the crowd. A few threw bouquets of flowers on the road or shouted goodbye. Several looked teary-eyed.

He was the architect of Singapore's transformation from a dependent, port city to a stable, prosperous independent state and a global financial hub.

However, he also introduced tight control. One of his legacies was a clampdown on the press - tight restrictions that remain in place today - while measures such as corporal punishment have been criticised as repressive.

Dissent - and political opponents - were ruthlessly quashed. Today, PAP remains firmly in control. There are currently six opposition lawmakers in parliament.

He was widely admired by world leaders, but criticised what he saw as the overly liberal approach of the US and the West, saying it had "come at the expense of orderly society". See more photos below….

bbc