Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister and architect of the tiny
Southeast Asian city-state's rapid rise from British tropical outpost
to global trade and financial centre, died on Monday, aged 91, the
government announced
The Prime Minister's Office said in a
statement posted on its website that Lee 'passed away peacefully' at the
hospital at 3.18am Monday local time.
Lee Kuan Yew, who died in hospital on Monday aged 91, led the city-state to independence and served as its prime minister for 31 years.
Singapore is observing a week of mourning ahead of Sunday's funeral.
Lee Kuan Yew co-founded the People's Action Party (PAP), which
has ruled Singapore since 1959 and led the newly born country when it
was separated from Malaysia in 1965
Lee Kuan Yew stepped down as prime minister in 1990, handing power to Goh Chok
Tong, but remained influential as senior minister in Goh's cabinet and
subsequently as "minister mentor" when his eldest son Lee Hsien Loong
became prime minister in 2004
Lee Kuan Yew left the cabinet in 2011 and had cut down his public
appearances in recent months due to his age and declining health.
US President Barack Obama hailed Lee Kuan Yew as a “visionary” who led
his country from Singapore’s independence in 1965 to build one of the
most prosperous countries in the world
China on Monday March 23,2015 condoled the death of former
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, describing him as an Asian
statesman of unique influence.
Lee Kuan Yew with Nelson Mandela in 2013
Chinese President Xi Jinping praised Lee Kuan Yew as an “old friend of the Chinese people”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Lee Kuan Yew, who was ethnically Chinese, was “widely respected by the
international community as a strategist and a statesman” and expressed
“sincere condolences” to his relatives.
Well-wishers lay flowers and cards outside Singapore General Hospital after he became critically ill
Flowers, messages and other tributes are piling up outside the hospital where Lee Kuan Yew died
Lee Kuan Yew was admitted to Singapore General Hospital last month on Feb 05,2015 for severe pneumonia and later put on life support
Crowds greeted the hearse as it arrived at the Istana compound
Lee Kuan Yew lies in state in parliament
Thousands of people in Singapore are queuing to pay tribute to late statesman Lee Kuan Yew as he lies in state in parliament.
His body was moved by gun carriage on March 25,2015 Wednesday morning from his official residence and through the city
Lee Kuan Yew's body has been resting at the Istana - the compound which houses
the president's official residence and the prime minister's office - for
a private family mourning period. Thousands have already left flowers
and message at its gates and signed books of condolence.
Lee Kuan Yew's flag-draped coffin, accompanied by representatives of the military
and government, was then carried from the Istana through the main
shopping and business districts, before arriving at Parliament House
Huge queues have formed in the area around Parliament House
Key dates in the life of Lee Kuan Yew
- Sept. 16, 1923: Born into wealthy Chinese family in Singapore
- 1936-1942: Education at prestigious Raffles Institution and Raffles College
- Feb. 15, 1942: Japanese occupation begins in Singapore
- Feb. 18-22, 1942: Japanese troops massacre between 50,000 and 100,000 Chinese Singaporeans. Lee observes the occupying army’s brutality up close.
- 1943-1944: Lee works as English-language editor for Japanese propaganda department called the Hobudu
- 1946: Student at London School of Economics
- 1947-1949: Law student at Cambridge University
- Dec. 23, 1947: Secretly marries Kwa Geok Choo, who was also studying law at Cambridge
- 1950: Lee passes bar exams in Britain, returns to Singapore and starts practicing law, with trade unions among his clients
- November 1954: Co-founds the People’s Action Party (PAP)
- April 1955: Elected to Legislative Assembly for the first time as an opposition MP
- 1959: PAP wins 43 out of 51 seats in legislative
assembly; Singapore is granted limited self-rule by colonial ruler
Britain; Lee is sworn in as prime minister at age 35
- Sept. 16, 1963: Malaysia and Singapore merge under the Malaysian Federation
- Aug. 9, 1965: Singapore is evicted from the
Malaysian Federation after political storms and race riots highlighted
the fragility of the union, and becomes an independent republic. Lee
cries on national television when announcing the split
- Aug. 8, 1967: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is established with Singapore among the founding states
- 1968-1972: Lee convinces trade unions to adopt
nonconfrontational stance toward employers to avoid labor strikes,
enacts policies to attract international financial institutions, and
embarks on a vigorous family planning campaign urging couples to stop at
two children; the campaign also promoted sterilization
- 1971: Last British military forces withdraw
- 1975: Lee approves construction of Changi Airport
as air traffic in the city-state surges; it evolves into one of the
world’s major aviation hubs
- Nov. 28, 1990: Lee steps down as prime minister, hands over power to his deputy, Goh Chok Tong
- 1990-2004: Plays an advisory position in the Cabinet as “senior minister”
- August 2004: His eldest son, Lee Hsien Loong, becomes prime minister; elder Lee continues to advise the Cabinet as “minister mentor”
- Oct. 2, 2010: Lee’s wife, Kwa Geok Choo, dies following long illness
- May 2011: General elections are held; ruling PAP
retains power but suffers its worst-ever share in the popular vote. Lee
subsequently steps down from his Cabinet advisory role but remains an
elected MP
- February 2013: Undergoes treatment after suffering from a prolonged irregular heartbeat due to a stroke-like condition
- Feb. 5, 2015: Lee is hospitalised for severe pneumonia, goes into intensive care on life support
- March 23, 2015: Lee dies at age 91
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