Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister, dies aged 91

Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's founding father, has died at the age of 91.

He had been hospitalised at the Singapore General Hospital for severe pneumonia since Feb 5.

In a statement issued on Monday, March 23, the Singapore prime minister's office (PMO) said Mr Lee passed away peacefully at the Singapore General Hospital at 3.18 am.

Arrangements for the public to pay respects and for the funeral proceedings will be announced later.

The PMO has been giving daily updates on Lee since Tuesday, March 17, when his condition took a turn for the worse due to an infection.

Lee leaves behind his sons, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 63, and Lee Hsien Yang, 57, daughter Dr Lee Wei Ling, 60, daughters-in-law Ho Ching, 61, and Lee Suet-Fern, 56, seven grandchildren and two siblings. His wife, Kwa Geok Choo, died in 2010, at the age of 89. - The Straits Times/Asia News Network