Singapore Quotes

• The tallest building in the world is now in Dubai, the biggest factory in the world is in China, the largest oil refinery is in India, the largest investment fund in the world is in Abu Dhabi, the largest Ferris wheel in the world is in Singapore.

  Fareed Zakaria

  Dubai, Oil, India

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• New Singapore will be one of the world's finest, most liveable cities. Arts, theatres, museums, music and sports will flourish. Singapore will be a lively and exciting place.. Our city will not only have depth, but also the richness of diversity. But above all, Singapore will a home for Singaporeans.

  Goh Chok Tong

  Change, Sports, Art

  75 Copy quote

• Singapore is the happiest place in Asia

  Dan Buettner

  Asia

  Dan Buettner (2010). “Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way”, p.101, National Geographic Books

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• Singapore is a pretty fantastic place, and the race is always a challenge.

  Romain Grosjean

  Race, Challenges, Fantastic

  "Singapore GP: Romain Grosjean, Lotus - Q&A". Interview, www.crash.net. September 15, 2013.

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• We decide what is right. Never mind what the people think.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Thinking, People, Mind

  The Straits Times, April 20, 1987.

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• Singapore has been incredibly well-managed. It was created out of the swamp, with a strong emotional idea: a safe place for mostly Chinese, but accepting other cultures and other races.

  Nicolas Berggruen

  Strong, Emotional, Race

  11 Copy quote

• If Singapore is a nanny state, then I am proud to have fostered one.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Inspiring, Nannies, Proud

  "From Third World to First, The Singapore Story: 1965-2000". Book by Lee Kuan Yew, 2000.

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• Nobody in Singapore drinks Singapore Slings. It's one of the first things you find out there. What you do in Singapore is eat. It's a really food-crazy culture, where all of this great food is available in a kind of hawker-stand environment.

  Anthony Bourdain

  Travel, Crazy, Culture

  16 Copy quote

• At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up? My life.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Successful, The End Of The Day, Ends

  "Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going". Book by Fook Kwang Han and Lee Kuan Yew, 2011.

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• The human being needs a challenge, and my advice to every person in Singapore and elsewhere: Keep yourself interested, have a challenge.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Advice, Challenges, Needs

  13 Copy quote

• 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.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Drinking, Self, Creative

  67 Copy quote

• Getting to places like Bangkok or Singapore was a hell of a sweat. But when you got there it was the back of beyond. It was just a series of small tin sheds.

  David Attenborough

  Sweat, Tin, Hell

  29 Copy quote

• Perhaps Singapore could learn from us a more relaxed way of life.

  Aung San Suu Kyi

  Way, Relaxed

  4 Copy quote

• If I were in authority in Singapore indefinitely without having to ask those who are governed whether they like what is being done, then I would not have the slightest doubt that I could govern much more effectively in their interests.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Doubt, Done, Authority

  Radio Interview in 1960. "South-East Asia: A Political Profile". Book by Damien Kingsbury, p. 337, 2001.

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• 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.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Inspiring, Integrity, Government

  Address To The General Assembly Of The International Press Institute At Helsinki Wednesday, June 9, 1971.

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• My loyalty is first and foremost, to the people of Singapore. It has always been so, and will always remain so.

  Ong Teng Cheong

  Loyalty, People, Firsts

  45 Copy quote

• Even in a society as tightly controlled as Singapore's, the market creates certain forces which perhaps in the long run may lead to democracy

  Peter L. Berger

  Running, Long, Democracy

  14 Copy quote

• The countries who do the best in international comparisons, whether it's Finland or Japan, Denmark or Singapore, do well because they have professional teachers who are respected, and they also have family and community which support learning.

  Howard Gardner

  Country, Teacher, Japan

  "The Global Search for Education: What Do We Value Most?". Interview with C. M. Rubin, www.huffingtonpost.com. August 31, 2011.

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• I don't believe in love at first sight. I think it's a grave mistake.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Inspiring, Mistake, Believe

  11 Copy quote

• The ideas of individual supremacy and the right of free expression, when carried to excess, have not worked. They have made it difficult to keep America society cohesive. Asia can see it is not working.. In America itself, there is widespread crime and violence, old people feel forgotten, families are falling apart. And the media attacks the integrity and character of your leaders with impunity, drags down all those in authority and blames everyone but itself.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Integrity, Fall, Character

  34 Copy quote

• I'm an occasional drinker, the kind of guy who goes out for a beer and wakes up in Singapore with a full beard.

  Raymond Chandler

  Beer, Guy, Wake Up

  Raymond Chandler (2002). “The Simple Art of Murder”, p.115, Vintage Crime/Black Lizard

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• Singapore and China, which don't want to encourage democratic citizenship, are expanding their humanities curricula. These reforms are all about developing a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

  Martha C. Nussbaum

  Humanity, Innovation, Reform

  Source: www.neh.gov

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• I stand by my record. I did some sharp things to get things right - too harsh - but a lot was at stake. But at the end of the day, what have I got? Just a successful Singapore.

  Mr. Lee

  Successful, The End Of The Day, Records

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• 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.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  People, Priorities, Survival

  16 Copy quote

• If you don’t include your women graduates in your breeding pool and leave them on the shelf, you would end up a more stupid society…So what happens? There will be less bright people to support dumb people in the next generation. That’s a problem.

  Lee Kuan Yew

  Stupid, People, Support

  National Day Rally, 1983.

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