Singapore’s Founding Father Dies
March 23, 2015
Lee Kuan Yew, who turned Singapore from a small port into a modern, prosperous nation, died today at 91. Lee became Singapore’s first prime minister in 1959, after the nation gained independence from British rule. Lee Kuan Yew was a native of Singapore who was educated in law in the United Kingdom. In Singapore, Lee and the party he formed, the People’s Action Party (PAP), worked hard to rid Singapore of British colonial rule after World War II (1939-1945).
Singapore is made up of one large island (also called Singapore) and more than 50 smaller islands at the tip of the Malay Peninsula. Initially, when Lee became prime minister of the former colony, he believed that Singapore would have to join with the Federation of Malaysia, which included Malaya and the Borneo territories of Sabah (formerly North Borneo) and Sarawak. Lee believed the tiny amount of land held by Singapore was too small and that it held too few resources to support a nation. Further, the people of Singapore did not have a common ethnic background or language. Singapore joined the Malaysian federation in 1963, but by 1965 it had been asked to leave.
Lee served as prime minister for 31 years. He was sometimes criticized for being too dictatorial and for lacking concern for the freedoms and civil rights of his citizens. Singapore’s government became known for its authoritarian rule, with rules sometimes covering relatively minor concerns—chewing gum prohibitions, for example. However, Lee fought hard against corruption and crime, and Singapore became an important financial, trade, and transportation center.
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