The man who transformed Singapore from a colonial trading port into a rich and thriving city-state has died. Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had been dealing with a number of health issues, including severe pneumonia. He was 91 years old.
Lee became prime minister in 1959 when Singapore earned self-governing status from Britain. The island later joined the Federation of Malaysia and then became independent in 1965.
Over the next quarter century, he turned the small, multiethnic nation into a global economic powerhouse. Lee took advantage of Singapore's location in the heart of Asia to attract business and talent. His government offered incentives to compensate for a lack of natural resources, and it built up industries such as ports, shipping and finance.
But Lee also kept a tight grip on Singapore's democracy. He chipped away at the opposition, and he put TV stations and newspapers under strict government surveillance. Lee stepped down as prime minister in 1990, but he remained in the Cabinet until 2011 and maintained a strong influence on government.
◆transform 大きく変える、一変させる
◆city-state 都市国家
◆pneumonia 肺炎
◆multiethnic 多民族の
◆powerhouse 強力な存在
◆a tight grip on ... ～への厳しい統制
◆chip away at 少しずつ弱体化させる
◆surveillance 監視
