"You are teaching people to act. I don't know if you are acting this morning but there will be no Oscars for you."

Chief Justice YONG Pung How (Straits Times 6 Nov 2002) (6)

"Cats have nine lives, they say. And no cat is ever going to to lie down meekly to be skinned."

Foreign Minister Professor S. Jayakumar (Straits Times 17 May 2002) (3)

"There was a joke at that time (early 1950s): Raffles Institution rules Singapore; ACS owns Singapore."

Dr TAN Cheng Lim, chairman of paediatric medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital (Straits Times 9 May 2002) (H7)

  "There are many ways to skin a cat, and to skin Singapore, there are also many ways."

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia (Straits Times 4 May 2002) (3)

  "... Hey Dude! Where's my penis?..."

Mark van Cuylenburg, also known as The Flying Dutchman, on the local radio programme Morning Express, Class 95FM, on 20 Jul 2001

  "I hope the day never comes when Singaporeans pack my books, paint my house, wash my car, supply my gas and bring me my hor fun. - not, at least, for the prices I pay."

CHUA Lee Hoong, columnist, From The Gallery, a column in The Straits Times of 12 Jul 2001.

  "I thought I would come to Singapore for two to three years maybe. Sixteen years later, I'm still here."

Tim , CEO DDB (View From The Top, a TV Works programme 9 Jul 2001)

  "Alexander the Great was 32 years old when he led the campaign all the way to India... age should not really be a significant consideration in a person's ability to lead."

Lieutenant-General LIM Chuan Poh, 39 (Straits Times 30 Jun 2001)