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Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew is considered the founding father of modern Singapore. Born Harry Lee Kuan Yew in September 1923, he governed Singapore over three decades and oversaw its separation from Malaysia, transforming it from a relatively underdeveloped British colonial outpost with no natural resources into a "First World" Asian Tiger. His People's Action Party won eight back-to-back electoral victories until he stepped aside in 1990. Lee stepped down from government in 2011. Lee died on March 23, 2015.

Born

16 Sep 1923

Industry

Politics

Job Title

Former Prime Minister of Singapore

Downtown Singapore. A partially planned economy like Singapore’s is a workable alternative to leaving things entirely to the private sector. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong economy

Macroscope | What’s so bad about a planned Hong Kong economy? Just look at Singapore

Dismissing economic planning out of hand is a mistake. The market does not always get it right.

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Badminton World Federation (BWF)

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Lee Kuan Yew

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Macroscope | What’s so bad about a planned Hong Kong economy? Just look at Singapore

Dismissing economic planning out of hand is a mistake. The market does not always get it right.

Ukraine badminton duo’s world championship pride amid Russia conflict

Lee Kuan Yew’s Montblanc pen sells for US$360,000 in Singapore auction

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}In Focus | Why Singapore scholarships are drawing China’s brightest STEM talent

City state’s scholarships for students from China form an early-stage talent pipeline into its highly skilled workforce, experts say.

Malaysian PM recalls relationship ‘well beyond affairs of state’ with Zhu Rongji

Anwar joined a number of world leaders in paying tribute to the former Chinese premier who played a key role in opening up the economy.

Malaysia’s Liow released; Lee Kuan Yew’s pen up for auction: 7 Asia highlights

From North Korea’s dog meat advice to Prabowo at odds with Indonesia’s rich, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Lee Kuan Yew’s fountain pen valued at US$23,000-US$39,000 up for auction

The engraved ‘SM Lee Kuan Yew’ Montblanc fountain pen was previously estimated to be worth several thousand dollars at a 2003 auction.

Malaysian influencer controversy, Cambodia’s tourism slump: 7 Asia highlights

From Philippines’ army wanting more hackers to facial massage fighting dementia, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Singapore takes possession of Lee Kuan Yew’s 38 Oxley Road home for conservation

NHB will assess how the site can be developed even as Lee Hsien Yang says ‘no amount of sophistry’ can disguise his father’s demolition wish.

Singapore’s founder praised in Europe; Pakistan’s submarine: 7 Asia highlights

From Pakistan rattling India with a new submarine to Bangkok’s ‘Hulk’ governor, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Bangkok’s ‘Hulk’ governor wins 4 more years to fix Thai capital’s woes

Popular incumbent Chadchart Sittipunt swept aside rivals to claim a second term leading a city grappling with floods, smog and gridlock.

Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew seen as cool guy amid Europe’s deadly heatwave

In the midst of record-breaking temperatures, social media users are praising the late statesman’s foresight in embracing air conditioning.

Singapore’s Shanmugam slams Bloomberg’s ‘venomous’ emails in defamation hearing

Cabinet ministers K. Shanmugam and Tan See Leng are suing Bloomberg over an article mentioning their personal property deals.

Singapore’s Shanmugam slams ‘hypocrisy’ over deported blogger Amos Yee

The minister says Yee’s case shows how foreign media and rights advocates have mistaken an offensive repeat offender for a free-speech icon.

Letters | What Lee Kuan Yew knew: leaders’ psychological fitness matters

Readers discuss the finer points of leadership selection, whether the Iran war is another US distraction, and corruption in China.

A tale of two cities: Singapore, Hong Kong and their contrasting paths

Historian Wang Gungwu reflects on how political legacies have shaped Hong Kong and Singapore, two of Asia’s economic ‘tigers’.

Singapore to acquire Lee Kuan Yew’s Oxley Road home for preservation

The site, which was gazetted as a national monument last year, cannot be redeveloped for residential or commercial uses.

Singapore in 2025: election fever, courtroom drama, pickleball mania

Local politics, tariff concerns, a horrific child abuse case and noise disputes dominate the headlines this year.

Open Questions | George Yeo on superpower ‘headaches’ and why the US dollar could crack

Singapore’s former foreign minister also discusses Trump, the latest China-Japan dust-up, and rivalry between Hong Kong and the city state.

Reflections | Malaysia’s unusual creation still affects it today. China mulled doing similar

Malaysia was born as a federation in 1963, with some states considered ‘special’. China also once toyed with federal ideals.

Open Questions | Yeo on how Trump wants to avoid Taiwan upending China relations

Former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo says that Donald Trump is prioritising stable relations with China, and that the US is facing decline amid a shift to a multipolar world.

Lee Kuan Yew’s Oxley Road home officially declared Singapore ‘national monument’

The designation marks a turning point, potentially ending years of family dispute and opening the door to heritage preservation in Singapore.

Lee Kuan Yew’s pain and his deputy’s resolve in Singapore-Malaysia separation

A new book unveiled by ex-PM Lee Hsien Loong reveals how Goh Keng Swee shaped Singapore’s 1965 split from Malaysia.

Singapore launches book on Malaysia separation with declassified files

‘The Albatross File: Inside Separation’ sheds light on the negotiations leading up to Singapore’s break from Malaysia.

Saudi adviser lauds parallels with Singapore in modernisation efforts

Mohammed Khalid Alyahya cites the late Singaporean leader’s pragmatic and results-driven governance as a template for Saudi Arabia’s ambitions.

Singapore to preserve 38 Oxley Road for history, not as Lee Kuan Yew memorial

Speaking on the issue, Acting Minister David Neo refers to the preservation of India’s Gandhi Ashram due to its historical significance.

Singapore’s 38 Oxley Road: will move to gazette site end Lee family feud?

Lee Hsien Yang, the younger son of founding PM Lee Kuan Yew, in a Facebook statement accuses the government of disrespecting his father’s legacy.

Lee Kuan Yew’s home ‘worthy of preservation’ as centre of Singapore independence

As it has ‘strong national significance’, 38 Oxley Road has merit to be a state monument, the advisory board says.

Macroscope | What’s so bad about a planned Hong Kong economy? Just look at Singapore

In Focus | Why Singapore scholarships are drawing China’s brightest STEM talent