March 23rd 2015

On hearing of the passing away of veteran Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew, His Holiness wrote to his son, Lee Hsien Loong, the current Prime Minister, offering condolences to his family and the people of Singapore.

Referring to Lee Kuan Yew as an exemplary nation builder, His Holiness said that he had made and extraordinary contribution with vision and determination to Singapore’s evolution into a highly developed, prosperous state.

He suggested that the best tribute that can be paid to the late leader is to maintain the dedication he showed to Singapore, which has become a state its citizens can be proud of and which the world at large views as a model of education, peace and diversity.