I have been accused of many things in my life, but not even my worst enemy has ever accused me of being afraid to speak my mind.

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

What is of consequence is I did my best.

They say people can think for themselves? Do you honestly believe that the chap who can’t pass primary six knows the consequence of his choice when he answers a question viscerally, on language, culture and religion? But we knew the consequences. We would starve, we would have race riots. We would disintegrate.

Even from my sick bed, even if you are going to lower me into the grave and I feel something is going wrong, I will get up.

My colleagues and I are of that generation of young men who went through the Second World War and the Japanese Occupation and emerged determined that no one–neither Japanese nor British–had the right to push and kick us around. We determined that we could govern ourselves and bring up our children in a country where we can be proud to be self-respecting people.

Life is not just eating, drinking, television and cinema...The human mind must be creative, must be self-generating ; it cannot depend on just gadgets to amuse itself.