Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew let rip in his latest book, One Man's View of the World.

Age has not made him taciturn, for sure.

1) On Workers' Party's Chen Show Mao

"Chen, however, has not turned out to be so brilliant. In Parliament, he makes good prepared speeches, with a written script, but in the follow-up, he is all over the place."

Take a deep breath. So honoured to be mentioned.

2) On Education Minister Heng Swee Keat

“Heng Swee Keat, now Education Minister, was the best Principal Private Secretary I ever had. The only pity is that he is not of a big bulk, which makes a difference in a mass rally.”

Source: Heng Swee Keat Facebook

Yup, he is definitely not of a big bulk.

3) On being PM today again, hypothetically speaking...

"If I were in charge of Singapore today, I would introduce a baby bonus equal to two years’ worth of the average Singaporean’s salary."

His point? To prove that money alone will not compel Singaporeans to have more of these.

4) On Youths

"No (it is not possible to influence young people), you can influence the basic attitudes from the day they are born to about 16 or 17. [..] They have a mind of their own and they are influenced by what they see around them and by their peers."

Source: WastedSG.com

Yeah about right.

5) On Republican presidents (George W. Bush, George Bush Snr, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon)

"Probably because they are more foreign policy-oriented. Not because they were Republicans, but because they were more alive to what is required of a big power – to play their role in foreign policy."

Ok.

6) On the Brits

"In Britain, if you look at the First Class Honours list of Oxford or Cambridge and trace their careers, you will find that these people end up not in politics, but in banking, finance and the professions."

"The frontbenchers in Parliament are often not from the top tier. They are not drawn from the best lawyers or surgeons."

Source: Koh Poh Koon Facebook

Well, it's increasingly harder these days for lawyers or surgeons to get into parliament, you know what I mean?

7) On why Heaven does not need a Population White Paper

"I wish I can meet my wife in the hereafter, but I don’t think I will. I just cease to exist just as she has ceased to exist – otherwise the other world would be overpopulated."

Because there is no Heaven. So John Lennon.

8) On not reading a certain local newspaper

"I read the Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao. I used to read Beritan Harian also but now I don’t."

Berita Harian just lost 10% of its subscribers.

9) On his regular routine

“Now, I walk on the treadmill three times a day – 12 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes after lunch and 15 minutes after dinner.”

He is such a brave man, when there is compelling evidence proving walking outside is safer.

10) On why fiction sucks

"Usually, I read biographies of interesting people. I am not attracted to novels – make-believe, or recreations of what people think life should be. "

Yup. Sucks.

Top photo of Lee Kuan Yew from Lee Hsien Loong Facebook.