More than 40,000 people visited the memorial for former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) at the Taipei Guest House before it closed yesterday.
The 16-day memorial ended as Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) led the entire staff overseeing the memorial in bowing three times before a portrait of Lee, who died on July 30 at the age of 97.
Presidential Office statistics showed a total of 43,067 visitors, with 3,899 showing up yesterday, a daily high.
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
The parents of Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) were among those who paid their respects over the 16-day period, with Ko’s mother, Ho Jui-ying (何瑞英), leaving a note on a memorial wall saying that Lee as Taiwan’s “greatest and wisest president, who was intellectual, friendly and loved the people,” while Ko’s father, Ko Cheng-fa (柯承發), wrote “Thank you again and again. It was the Taiwanese’s honor to have you in Taiwan.”
Meanwhile, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Representative Hiroyasu Izumi, who paid his respects to Lee on the day the memorial opened, yesterday voiced his appreciation for Lee’s contributions to Taiwan’s democracy and Taiwan-Japan relations.
The long lines of people waiting to say farewell to Lee were a testimony one of his most famous quote — “always bear the public’s interests in mind,” Izumi said. “May you rest in peace, Mr Lee, and please continue to guide us in the future.”
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
Meanwhile, sources said a public memorial service for Lee is being planned for the Grand Chapel of Aletheia University in New Taipei City, perhaps on Sept. 19.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) would attend, and confer honors in recognition of Lee’s contributions to the nation, they added.
Members of the Lee funeral committee are to meet on Wednesday to discuss the details.
Additional reporting by Lee Hsin-fang
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