“Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him, or
give it up. This is not a game of cards. This is your life and mine. I’ve spent a whole lifetime building this. And as long as I'm in charge, nobody's going to knock it down.”
Lee Kuan Yew In His Own Words
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth on Sep 16, CNA looks back at 10 of his more memorable quotes that were synonymous with the country's milestones and development.
1 On separating from Malaysia
“ For me, it is a moment of anguish because all my life ... You see, the whole of my adult life ... I have believed in Malaysian merger and the unity of these two territories. You know, it's a people, connected by geography, economics, and ties of kinship.”
2 On taking a long-term view for Singapore
“I am calculating not in terms of the next election ... I am calculating in terms of the next generation; in terms of the next 100 years; in terms of eternity. And believe you me, for the next thousand years, we will be here.”
In this speech in 1965, Mr Lee reassured attendees at the Liquor Retailers' Association anniversary celebrations that his newly formed government and public officers were laying foundations for trade with other markets and asked for patience from the business community. He also called for a multiracial society to be established in Singapore as a model for the rest of the region.
3
On how Singaporeans are not a people who can be bullied
“
You know, some people think: Oh well you know, we are a small place - they can put the screws on us. It is not so easy. We are a small place in size yes, geography.
But in the quality of the men, the administration, the organisation, the mettle in a people, the fibre – don’t try. That is why we got booted out, you know.
If they could have just squeezed us like an orange and squeezed the juice out, I think the juice would have been squeezed out of us, and all the goodness would have been sucked away.
But it was a bit harder, wasn’t it? It was more like the durian. You try and squeeze it, your hand gets hurt. And so they say: ‘Right, throw out the durian.’ But inside the durian you know, is a very useful ingredient - high protein.
”
At a bursary presentation at the Sree Narayana Mission in Sembawang in 1965, Mr Lee emphasised that Singapore is a multicultural, multi-religious society. He also likened the quality and mettle of its people to the durian - painful for those who tried to squeeze it, but with useful ingredients inside.
4
On how governing Singapore is not simply a game
“
Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him, or
give it up. This is not a game of cards. This is your life and mine.
I’ve spent a whole lifetime building this. And as long as I'm in charge, nobody's going to knock it down.
”
Mr Lee gave a fiery, passionate speech to a rapt crowd gathered in the rain as part of the 1980 General Election hustings.
His account of his robust, no-nonsense approach used to quell unrest at Singapore Airlines, touched on the type of fortitude he adopted to govern Singapore.
5
On micromanaging people's private lives
“
I am accused often of interfering in private lives of citizens …
And I say without the slightest remorse that we wouldn't be here, we would not have made the economic progress if we had not intervened on very personal matters: Who your neighbour is, how you live, the noise you make, how you spit or where you spit or what language you use.
Had we not done that and done it effectively, we would not be here today.
”
In the 1986 National Day Rally, then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, spoke on social and cultural factors that have made Singapore successful - including the micro-managing of Singaporeans' way of life.
6
On what it takes to be a good minister
“
Remember this: Good ministers are not just those who kiss babies and smile and have dialogue sessions; you can have endless sessions, it's very good, you keep on listening and so on.
It means, at the end, taking very tough, very unpleasant, very unpopular decisions - and still smiling and still explaining and finally pointing out: ‘See, we're turning the corner. The figures prove it!’ That's what government is about.
”
In the 1988 National Day Rally, Mr Lee stressed that the second-generation leadership, led by Mr Goh Chok Tong, was the best team available and urged Singaporeans to support them. He outlined the traits that ministers need to have to be effective leaders.
7
On how political leaders are judged
“
Political leaders are judged, first, by how effectively they have exercised their authority in the interests of their people.
Second, by the way in which they have provided for continuity so that a successor government will continue to protect and advance the interests of their people.
Third, by the grace with which they leave office and hand over to their successors.
”
In 1988, as Mr Lee was sworn in as Prime Minister for the eighth time, he declared it would be his last. Using the analogy of becoming the chairman of the Singapore Corporation, he said Mr Goh Chok Tong and his team were, in effect, in charge while his own role was to make sure everything goes well before handing the reins over in two years.
8
On being an ardent advocate for Singapore's success
“
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 when I have left the government as prime minister, that I've gone into permanent retirement, really should have their heads examined.
”
One of Mr Lee's most quoted quotes, it was delivered during his 1988 National Day Rally speech.
Two years later, he would step down as Prime Minister for Mr Goh Chok Tong to take over.
9
On saving and investing for a rainy day
“
They say we got enormous reserves. Yes, we do. But, you know, a few years of a recession, an economic setback, and all that will suddenly be depleted. Our savings could be wiped out in about five, six years if you say, world recession like the last Great Depression in the 1930s.
”
As Senior Minister in 1996, Mr Lee spoke at a Nanyang Technological University (NTU) dialogue also attended by representatives from the National University of Singapore.
He used the example of Singapore's reserves to make the point that the country needs to invest in raising the quality of its people.
10
On what he cherished most
“
I cannot say I planned my life. That's why I feel life is a great adventure - exciting, unpredictable, and at times exhilarating and sometimes excruciating.
To make life worthwhile, never lose that joie de vivre, that zest for life. To watch the sun go down, and wake up to a new day, rested and refreshed after a good night.
At the end of the day, what I cherished most are human relationships.
”
Speaking at his 80th birthday dinner in 2003, as Singapore was just emerging from the deadly SARS virus, then-Senior Minister Lee struck a defiant, upbeat note about the country's future, saying "present pessimism ... that Singapore has seen its best days, that the music has stopped and the party is over, is totally unfounded". He also looked back on his life and spoke about what he cherished most.
