Tributes continued to pour in for former President S R Nathan, who died on Monday night, with various religious groups lauding him as a champion of inter-religious harmony, while Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon recalled Mr Nathan’s reminder of the judiciary’s pivotal role in nation-building.
Advertisement
Nathan’s body will lie in state at the Parliament House from around 10:00 AM on Thursday till Friday for the public to pay their last respects.
“Exemplifying the Singapore story, the ups and downs of Mr Nathan’s life showed that one can succeed as long as one perseveres in the face of setbacks”, he added. He had a distinguished 40-year career in the civil service. The 17-year-old remembers Nathan as the Republic’s longest serving president who took office the year she was born.
“The Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues are sad to learn of the passing of Mr S.R. Nathan and would like to convey their condolences to his family”, the statement said Monday.
I had the opportunity to mingle with Mr Nathan at several public social events.
The Prime Minister’s Office said arrangements for the public to pay respects and for the funeral would be announced later.
After two terms as President, Mr Nathan stepped down in 2011, when he was “finally able to devote more time and attention to his family”, Mr Lee said.
Even after that, Mr Nathan continued giving back to Singapore, and was generous in sharing his experiences and insights with a younger generation of diplomats, students and Singaporeans, Mr Lee added. I remember him as a man guided by a deep sense of duty to the nation. He said that together with his generation, helped secure the peace harmony and stability the country enjoys today.
Nathan served as the President of Singapore from 1999 to 2011. A state funeral service will take place from 4pm on Friday at the University Cultural Centre of the National University of Singapore, it said in a statement.
Before serving as the head of the state, he held key positions in the civil service as well as in security, intelligence and foreign affairs.
Advertisement
Before his tenure as president, Nathan served as high commissioner to Malaysia and ambassador to the United States.
