Singaporeans abroad pay tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew
She moved to Dubai seven years ago to work.
When Singaporean Sharina Kaur Shah heard the news of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's passing on Monday, she said she was sad that she could not be here to pay her last respects.
The TV show host of a fashion and lifestyle programme did the next best thing.
She (below, right) paid tribute to Mr Lee in Dubai with her friend and fellow Singaporean, Bhavna Mulchandani (below, left), 30.
Said Ms Shah: "The next morning (after I found out that Mr Lee had died), we called the consulate to find out how we can pay our respects.
"They told us the timings we could visit the consulate to sign the condolence book. We bought flowers and went to the consulate and penned our heartfelt messages.
"I have always been a patriotic citizen as my dad served the Singapore Army for the last 33 years and he always educated us in loving our country.
"I am proud to call Singapore my home and for that I thank Mr Lee. There aren't a lot of people who could bring a country from third world to first world status in a single generation. I would like to thank him for making Singapore what it is."
Added Ms Mulchandani, a marketing director who has been working in Dubai for the last five years: "I am saddened by the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, a true visionary who we owe Singapore's success to. I want to thank him for his dedication to this country."
In Phuket, Thailand, Singaporeans remembered Mr Lee.
According to news website Phuketwan, Ms Rebecca Lek, a seven-year resident of Phuket, sent word out on the social media channels that a condolence book would be available to sign at the park to honour Mr Lee's life and accomplishments.
Ms Lek, wrote on her Facebook page: ''Thank you Mr Lee ...for giving me my red passport that I can enter many countries without a visa or being picked on by immigration ...for making me colour and religion blind...for insisting that we speak at least two languages . . . for providing the meritocracy... platform for girls to stand an equal chance to compete with the boys and that is probably why most Singaporean female are so ''cheo,'' fearless and self reliant; so we can survive anywhere outside Singapore . . . You are utterly irreplaceable in all our hearts.''
She wrote in the condolence book: ''Thank you for building a governing powerhouse that is corruption free and effective. You have built us a brand and given us an image where we can walk tall and far wherever we go for we are known to be clean and full of integrity, thus trustworthy in friendship and business. These qualities are the essence to success and prosperity.''
Here are Singaporeans in other countries who paid their last respects to Mr Lee.
In Korea:
In Australia:
Source: Phuketwan
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