The founding father of modern Singapore who was both feared and admired for turning the city-state into one of the world's richest nations, has died. He was 91. Lee Kuan Yew was admitted to Singapore General Hospital on February 5 for severe pneumonia and was later put on life support. 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. Scroll down for video . Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew (pictured in 2004) has died in hospital. He was 91 . Well-wishers lay flowers and cards outside Singapore General Hospital after he became critically ill . He was admitted to Singapore General Hospital last month for severe pneumonia and later put on life support . The country's first and longest-serving prime minister, Lee guided Singapore through a traumatic split with Malaysia in 1965 and helped transform what was then a sleepy port city into a global trade and finance center. Although he could have remained in office for much longer, he stepped aside and handed over leadership of the ruling party, and the country, to a younger generation in 1990. 'In the end, my greatest satisfaction in life comes from the fact that I have spent years gathering support, mustering the will to make this place meritocratic, corruption-free and equal for all races - and that it will endure beyond me, as it has,' Lee said in his 2013 book, 'One Man's View of the World.' David Cameron said Mr Lee had transformed Singapore into one of the great success stories of the modern world. Mr Lee was hailed as having provided a number of British prime ministers with advice over the years and was once singled out by the late Margaret Thatcher as the prime minister she most admired. Mr Cameron said: 'That Singapore is today a prosperous, secure and successful country is a monument to his decades of remarkable public service. He was always a friend to Britain, if sometimes a critical one, and many British Prime Ministers benefited from his wise advice, including me. 'Lady Thatcher once said that there was no Prime Minister she admired more than Mr Lee for "the strength of his convictions, the clarity of his views, the directness of his speech and his vision of the way ahead". 'His place in history is assured, as a leader and as one of the modern world's foremost statesmen.' Former prime minster Sir John Major said Mr Lee was 'one of the political giants of recent history'. 'He was the architect of modern Singapore, and led the way in changing it from a small island country in Malaysia to the thriving, competitive state that it is today, punching well above its weight and admired across the world. Margaret Thatcher chats with Lee Kuan Yew on the steps of 10 Downing Street . 'Few men left a better legacy to their nation than Lee Kuan Yew, and we may not see his like again. He really was a remarkable leader, and will be much missed by those of us who were privileged to know him and work with him.' President Barack Obama also offered his condolences, calling Mr Lee 'a true giant of history.' Obama said in a White House statement that he appreciated Lee's wisdom, including during discussions they held on the president's trip to Singapore in 2009 when the president was formulating his Asia-Pacific policy. 'He was a true giant of history who will be remembered for generations to come as the father of modern Singapore and as one the great strategists of Asian affairs.' U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was 'deeply saddened' by Lee's death and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the country would continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Singapore as the region saluted one of its giants. Lee's legacy includes an efficient government with little corruption, low tax rates to attract foreign investment, excellent schools and clean and safe streets, all of which have helped Singapore rank consistently near the top of surveys of the most livable cities for expatriates. He faced criticism, though, for using tough tactics to consolidate power. He jailed some political rivals without trial for decades and brought defamation lawsuits against journalists and opposition politicians, which had a chilling effect on dissent. 'I had to do some nasty things, locking fellows up without trial,' Lee said in an interview with The New York Times published in September 2010. 'I'm not saying everything I did was right. But everything I did was for an honorable purpose.' One of his sons, Lee Hsien Loong, is Singapore's current prime minister. He also is survived by another son, Lee Hsien Yang, and a daughter, neurologist Lee Wei Ling. His wife of more than 60 years, Kwa Geok Choo, died in October 2010. Born September 23, 1923, Lee grew up speaking English in a Singapore that was part of the British colonial empire, and was known as Harry during much of his early life. His university education was interrupted by the three-year Japanese occupation of the island in the Second World War. The Queen and Mr Lee share a light moment together during a state banquet at the Indonesian presidential palace in 1989 . Mr Lee shakes hands with former Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street in 2003 . 'The Japanese demanded total obedience, and got it from nearly all,' he wrote in his memoirs. 'My appreciation of governments, my understanding of power as the vehicle for revolutionary change, would not have been gained without this experience.' After completing his studies at Singapore's Raffles College, Lee went to England to study law at Cambridge University. There, he married Kwa, a fellow student, in 1947. He returned to Singapore in 1950 and started the law firm Lee & Lee with his wife in 1955. In 1954, Lee helped found the People's Action Party and he became Singapore's first prime minister in 1959 when Britain granted it self-governance in all matters except defense and foreign affairs. Singapore declared independence from Britain in 1963, and Lee, believing his island couldn't survive alone, brought it into the federation of neighboring states that became Malaysia. But the Malay leadership asked Singapore to leave after two years because of ideological differences. Lee wept on national television while announcing the breakup, which he later would call one of his biggest political regrets. He then turned to governing his tiny island state, imposing strict policies that some saw as micromanaging the daily lives of Singaporeans. Lee outlawed the sale of chewing gum, promoted English and Mandarin while banning other Chinese dialects from public schools, radio and TV. He also enforced ethnic integration by controlling the makeup of public apartment buildings, where 80 percent of the population lives. Lee also cracked down on organized crime and imposed harsh penalties for minor infractions, a policy that has helped Singapore maintain one of the world's lowest violent crime rates. Drug couriers face mandatory hanging, vandals are sometimes caned - such as American teenager Michael Fay in 1994 despite a plea for leniency from President Bill Clinton - and litterbugs must pay a hefty fine. Mr Lee, who was widely admired across the political spectrum, meets with Nelson Mandela in 2013 .
The founding father of modern Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, has died aged 91 . He was on life support after being admitted to hospital for pneumonia . Lee transformed the country from a port city into a global finance centre . He was admired for the transition but feared for his authoritarian methods . President Barack Obama called him 'one of the legendary figures of Asia'