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First President of Singapore
By peace | August 9, 2008
The Late Encik Yusof bin Ishak ; First President of the Republic of Singapore (9 August 1965 to 23 November 1970)
On 9 August 1965, Singapore became independent — Singapore left Malaysia. It changed its name to the Republic of Singapore. The names of some other things were changed too, but the leaders were the same.
Encik Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999. Lee Kuan Yew was the first Prime Minister and the Legislative Assembly became the Parliament.
Yusof bin Ishak (12 August 1910 – 23 November 1970) was born at Padang Gajah, Trong about 18 miles from Taiping, Perak. Encik Yusof is the eldest son in a family of nine. His father, Encik Ishak bin Ahmad now deceased, was the Acting Director of Fisheries, Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States. Encik Yusof received his early education in the Malay school in Kuala Kurau, Perak. Two years later, Encik Yusof was transferred to the Malay School at Taiping and in 1921 he began his English studies at King Edward VII School, Taiping.
In 1923, When he was 13 years old, he came to Singapore with his his civil-servant father. He studied at Raffles Institution. During his educational years in the Raffles’ Instituition, he was a outstanding student. He even won the Queen’s Scholarship. And he was the first ever Singaporean to do so.
While in School Encik Yusof joined in practically all forms of sport, played by boys. While at the Raffles Institution he played hockey and cricket, and took part in swimming, weight lifting, water-polo and boxing.
Yusof bin Ishak was a journalist. In 1923, together with Ong Chin Beng and Soh swee Teck, he started “Sportsman” a fortnightly sports magazine. And In 1932 he joined the “Warta Melayu”. Then in 1938, he started his own Malay newspaper “Utusan Melayu”.
Yusof Ishak became the Yang di-Pertuan Negara in December 1959. He took over from Governor William Goode. He then became the President when Singapore became independent.
Yusof Ishak was married to Noor Aishah and has 3 children (1 son and 2 daughters).
President Yusof Ishak died in November 1970 of heart failure. Yusof is buried at Kranji State Cemetery.
Grave of Singapore’s first president at Kranji War Memorial
Life of Yusof Bin Ishak
More Information about Yusof Ishak
Bust of President Yusof Ishak (1966)
Topics: All Posts, Famous People, Singapore |
August 12th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
[…] school was named after Yusof Ishak who was the first president of Singapore. The six values of YISS are Resilience, Responsibility, […]