Freedom of the press, freedom of the news media, must be subordinated to the overriding needs of the integrity of Singapore, and to the primacy of purpose of an elected government.

Even from my sickbed, even if you are going to lower me into the grave and I feel that something is going wrong, I will get up. Those who believe that after I have left the government as prime minister, I will go into a permanent retirement, really should have their heads examined.

If there was one formula for our success,it was that we were constantly studying how to make things work,or how to make them work better.

What are our priorities? First, the welfare, the survival of the people. Then, democratic norms and processes which from time to time we have to suspend.

I always tried to be correct, not politically correct.

Having an education is one thing, being educated is another.

I do not yet know of a man who became a leader as a result of having undergone a leadership course.