Lee Kuan Yew in ICU but 'stable'

Singapore's founding leader Lee Kuan Yew, credited with transforming the city-state to one of Asia's wealthiest economies, is in hospital breathing with the help of a machine but in stable condition, the government said Saturday. A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said the 91-year-old was admitted to Singapore General Hospital on February 5 to be treated for severe pneumonia.
"His condition has stabilised and he remains on mechanical ventilation in the ICU (intensive care unit)," the statement said, using a term to refer to machine-assisted breathing. "He is conscious and lightly sedated," it added. "His doctors are continuing to monitor his condition."
Lee, the father of current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, is widely credited with transforming Singapore from an economic backwater to a rich economy in just over three decades. He served as prime minister from 1959, when Singapore gained self-rule from colonial ruler Britain, until he stepped down in 1990 in favour of his deputy Goh Chok Tong, who in turn handed power to Lee Hsien Loong in 2004.