Singapore remembers Mr Lee Kuan Yew and what he stood for

(THESTRAITSTIMES)SomelaiddownbouquetsoutsidetheIstanaandParliamentHouse,andmany,withheadsbowed,observedaminuteofsilenceatmemorialeventsacrosstheislandyesterday.

However,goneweretheredeyes,tear-streakedfacesandthegriefondisplayayearago.Instead,therewasgratitudeasSingaporeansrememberedMrLeeKuanYewonthefirstanniversaryofhisdeath.

TheycreditedthefoundingPrimeMinisterforinspiringresilience,fosteringharmonioustiesamongpeopleofdifferentracesanddedicatinghislifetobuildingthenation.

Andmostofall,forensuring,alongwithhispioneerteamofleaders,thatSingaporewouldsurviveandthrivewithoutthem.

Ataspecialassemblyinherschool,whichMrLeeattendedasachild,TelokKurauPrimarypupilTharitaSurendran,11,said:"HereallytakesSingaporeasfamily."

PrimeMinisterLeeHsienLoongandhisCabinetcolleaguespledgedtoupholdMrLee'sethosandvalues:"Thesewillguideusaswe,inturn,followtherainbowthatMrLeehimselfchasedallhislife-tobuildanexceptionalnationandtoimprovethelivesofallSingaporeans."

Inremarkstohisministersbeforetheirregularweeklymeeting,PMLeerecountedhowCabinetmeetingswithMrLeewereopen,interactiveanddynamic.

Earlier,pastandpresentMPsattendedaremembranceceremonyattheformerParliamentHousewhereMrLeemadehismark.

FormerSpeakerAbdullahTarmugirecalledhowMrLeewasalways"proper",addingthathe"madeitapointtowriteanotetotheSpeakereverytimehewasunabletocometoParliamentfortheday".

AtlocationswhereSingaporeanscametogetherduringtheweekofnationalmourninglastyear-ParliamentHouse,IstanaParkandTanjongPagar-passers-bystoppedtolookatpanelsofphotographsandwrite-upsthatwereputupbythePeople'sAssociation.

Somecamespeciallytoplaceflowers,suchasretireeAnthonyLow,63,andhiswife,MsTengYamChoo,60,wholiveinClementi.

MsTengsaid:"IammostgratefulfortheracialharmonyMrLeepromoted.Alotoftheconflictsintheworldnowarebasedonracialissues."

MadamLinaFatimah,70,whoattendedaceremonyinGeylangSerai,said:"MrLeeKuanYewismyrolemodel.Hehadacleanandgoodheart."

SomedidwhatMrLeewouldhavedone:600peoplewentonabriskwalkacrosstown,whileanothergroupplanted53mempattreesinJurong.

MrLee,whodiedattheageof91lastyear,hadalwaysmadetimeforexercise.Hewasalsoknownas"Singapore'schiefgardener".

Theseregularactivitiesshowthatlifegoeson,theevents'organiserssaid,justasMrLeewouldhavewantedit.