Stating that Yew played a major role in the independence of Singapore, Karunanidhi in a statement said he still remembers how Yew gave a rousing reception along with his cabinet colleagues when DMK founder C N Annadurai made a visit to Singapore in 1965.
"Yew earned the love of Tamils, Chinese and ethnic Malays," Karunanidhi said, adding that it was because of Yew that Tamil was made as one of the official languages of Singapore.
Rajinikanth condoled the death of Yew, saying "Indeed a dark day as a leader I admired has passed on". "I feel your sorrow S'pore. A true loss of a path-breaking politician," he tweeted.