SINGAPORE - The latest Asia edition of Time Magazine features Mr Lee Kuan Yew on its cover, describing him as "The Founding Father of Singapore".

The photo used was taken by John Dominis in 1959, on the day the People's Action Party won the general elections, making Mr Lee Singapore's first prime minister.

The April 6 edition of the magazine also said the late Mr Lee "gave the city-state prosperity, at the cost of freedom".

Time Magazine Asia last featured Mr Lee on its cover in December 2005, after interviewing him for more than five hours over two days before the East Asia summit that year. He was described then as "the man who saw it all".

"Everybody who lives in Asia today thinks they are watching history being made," the Time editors wrote then. "Lee Kuan Yew is one of those who can say, without fear of contradition, that he helped make it."

The magazine also said Mr Lee was "thoughtful, animated, defiant, playful, even emotional and always provocative."

Mr Lee died on March 23 at the age of 91.