Singapore Declares Week-Long National Mourning for First Prime Minister

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong declared national mourning with state flags on government buildings at half mast from March 23 to March 29 for the country’s “founding father,” the first Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew.

Lee Kuan Yew, widely recognized as a founding father of modern Singapore, died early Monday morning at the Singapore general hospital where he was treated for severe pneumonia. He was 91. The country’s current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is Lee Kuan Yew's eldest son.

“The Prime Minister has declared a period of National Mourning from 23 March (Monday) to 29 March (Sunday)… As a mark of respect to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the State flags on all Government buildings will be flown at half-mast from today to Sunday,” Prime Minister’s office said on Facebook Monday.

According to the statement, a State Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. local time (06:00 GMT) on March 29 at the University Cultural Centre, National University of Singapore.

Lee Kuan Yew became first Prime Minister of Singapore in 1959 and was in power until November, 1990.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed condolences over the death of Lee calling him a “legendary figure.”