Fond regards and memories of controversial comments in Hong Kong following death of Lee Kuan Yew

Scores of mourners poured into the Singaporean consulate in Hong Kong yesterday to offer their condolences to the Lion City's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, as Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying praised Lee for his "integrity, tenacity and vision".

However, Lee's legacy in Hong Kong was not without controversy, as he famously questioned the courage of Hong Kong protesters and foresaw a rough road ahead for political reform.

As early as 1992, Lee told an audience at the University of Hong Kong: "Yes, Hong Kong deserves democracy, but alas, in the world as it is, we do not often get what we deserve."

Those remarks were made in the presence of the city's last governor, Chris Patten, who was facing heavy criticism from Beijing over his political reform plans.

In December 2000, Lee faced student protests when he visited Chinese University to receive his honorary doctorate in law.

But Lee said he did not come to win the approval of dissident Hongkongers, and said he would consider the protesters to have "real courage" if they dared to protest against leaders in Beijing.