Feature: For Singaporeans its hard to say goodbye to Lee Kuan Yew

From dusk to dawn, people here in Singapore have been waiting patiently for a man who has built the city from the scratch as witnessed by the whole nation in the past half century -- Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.

The casket of Lee, Singapore's founding prime minister, was transferred on Wednesday from Sri Temasek, the Prime Minister's official residence on the Istana grounds, to the Parliament House where his body will lie in state until Saturday. Thousands of Singaporeans have gathered along the street to witness the procession, and to pay their tribute to the former premier who led the city state from 1965 to 1990.

Some have been waiting since midnight; others came as early as 5:30 in the morning, even though they know Lee's hearse will not arrive until 9 o'clock.

"Thank you! Mr. Lee!" These are the words that can be heard resonating along the route Lee's casket passed where thousands of mourners stood until it reached the Parliament House at around 10 a.m.

By 10:30, a long queue of more than 5 km had been formed in front of the Parliament House, where tens of thousands of people gathered to pay their last respect to Singapore's founding father.

The Singapore government has decided to keep open the Parliament House, where Lee now lies in state, from Wednesday to Saturday night.

"We will wait here no matter how long it takes," said 66 year- old Diana Hko, who came with more than 20 friends from Bukit Timah community club. "This is the last opportunity we will be able to see him."

To many Singaporeans, Lee is an idol.

"He is our idol. We are the Pioneer Generation; we have seen the dramatic changes Singapore has experienced. It looked different every year. It is him who built up the whole country, we Singaporeans are very proud," Hko, holding a bouquet of white flowers, told Xinhua.

Not only the Pioneer Generation, which refers to those who have witnessed the independence of Singapore and contributed to the nation's development in the 1960s, was in attendance, 19 year-old student Haema, also came with her parents and felt the same way.

"Without him, we wouldn't be where we are now, we wouldn't have houses without him, we wouldn't have education, I am very thankful for all that he's done for Singapore," she said. Her words were echoed by an entire nation.

A father with grey hair was seen in an online video, talking to his little daughter on the street, who is 4 or 5 years old. "This is Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. He's the one that helped Singapore to be so prosperous and safe," the man told his daughter.

The grief may not be seen on their faces, but in the way the mourners act. Most women have dressed in total black while the men were all in white shirts and black trousers, with many wearing black armbands to pay their respect.

Inside the Parliament House, those who had queued up early bowed to the former prime minister and some burst into tears. One old woman in her 60s, said loudly to Lee's body: "Goodbye, Lee Kuan Yew!"

It is hard for Singaporeans to say goodbye, as they mourn the leader who has given them a life that no one could have imagined 50 years ago.

Besides the Parliament House, thousands more have also left their messages in over 18 community clubs across the country.

Lee, the first prime minister of Singapore, passed away at the age of 91 early Monday. As soon as the news broke, the whole nation began grieving.

Singaporeans have poured into Istana and the Parliament House to leave their messages to the late prime minister; with many still finding it hard to believe he has really gone. Just like Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, people are "grieved beyond words."

Lee's body will stay in Parliament until Saturday. After that a state funeral will be held on Sunday afternoon at the National University of Singapore's University Cultural Center, where Singapore will officially says goodbye to its founding father.

For the first prime minister himself, he has already made his own annotation for his whole life. In an interview in 2011, he said: "At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up? My life." Endi