Yusof Ishak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
His Excellency Tun
Yusof bin Ishak
DUT SK DUBC PJG
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 1963
|
|
| 1st President of Singapore | |
| In office 9 August 1965 – 23 November 1970 |
|
| Prime Minister | Lee Kuan Yew |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Sheares |
| Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore | |
| In office 3 December 1959 – 9 August 1965 |
|
| Monarch | Queen Elizabeth II Putra of Perlis |
| Prime Minister | Lee Kuan Yew |
| Preceded by | Sir William Goode |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Yusof bin Ishak Al-Haj
12 August 1910 Terong, Taiping, Perak, Federated Malay States, British Malaya |
| Died | 23 November 1970 (aged 60) Singapore |
| Cause of death | Heart failure |
| Resting place | Kranji State Cemetery |
| Spouse |
Noor Aishah Mohammad Salim
(m. 1949–1970) |
| Children |
|
| Alma mater | Victoria Bridge School Raffles Institution |
| Occupation |
|
| Website | http://www.istana.gov.sg/ |
Yusof bin Ishak (12 August 1910 – 23 November 1970) was a very important person in Singapore's history. He was a journalist and a civil servant. He became the first President of Singapore from 1965 to 1970.
Before becoming president, Yusof was a well-known journalist. He helped start a newspaper called Utusan Melayu. This newspaper was published until 2019. He began his journalism career after finishing school in 1929.
Yusof held many important jobs in the Singapore Government. He worked on committees dealing with films and nature. In 1959, he became the Chairman of the Public Service Commission. This group helps hire people for government jobs.
On 3 December 1959, Yusof became the Yang di-Pertuan Negara (which means Head of State) of Singapore. He took over from Sir William Goode. This happened after the People's Action Party (PAP) won the 1959 general election. When Singapore became an independent country on 9 August 1965, Yusof was appointed as its first President.
Yusof served as Head of State for almost 11 years. He passed away on 23 November 1970 due to heart failure. His picture is on Singapore's currency notes, which were first printed in 1999. Benjamin Sheares became the next president after him.
Contents
About Yusof Ishak
His Early Life and Education
Yusof was born on 12 August 1910. This was in a place called Kampung Padang Gajah in Perak, which is now part of Malaysia. He was the oldest of nine children in his family. His family had roots from the Minangkabau people.
Yusof went to a Malay school first. Then, he started learning English in 1921. In 1923, he moved to Victoria Bridge School in Singapore. This happened when his father was transferred there for work. In 1924, he joined Raffles Institution for his secondary education.
At Raffles Institution, Yusof was very active in sports. He played swimming, weightlifting, water-polo, boxing, hockey, and cricket. He even represented his school in many sports events. He was also part of the Singapore National Cadet Corps. He became the very first cadet officer because he was so good. Yusof finished school with excellent results in 1927. He continued his studies at Raffles Institution until 1929.
Becoming a Journalist
After graduating in 1929, Yusof started his career as a journalist. He teamed up with two friends to create Sportsman. This was a magazine all about sports. In 1932, Yusof joined Warta Malaya, another popular newspaper.
Yusof wanted a newspaper that focused on issues important to the Malay community. So, in May 1939, he started Utusan Melayu with other Malay leaders in Singapore.
During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Utusan Melayu had to stop printing. The Japanese took the printing machines. Yusof then moved back to Taiping. He used his remaining money to open a shop. He stayed there until the war ended in 1945. After the war, Utusan Melayu started publishing again.
In 1957, Yusof moved to Kuala Lumpur. The newspaper's main office also moved there in 1958. After the war, many Malays wanted independence from the British. Yusof used his newspaper to support this idea. This led to the creation of the United Malay Nationalist Organisation (UMNO) in 1946. However, Yusof's ideas about democracy were different from UMNO's. Because of this, he sold his shares in Utusan Melayu and left the company in 1959.
His Political Journey and Presidency
Yusof held several roles in the Singapore government. He was on the Film Appeal Committee from 1948 to 1950. He was also part of the Nature Reserves Committee. After leaving Utusan Melayu, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew invited Yusof to become the Chairman of the Public Service Commission of Singapore.
After the PAP won the 1959 elections, Yusof was appointed as Yang di-Pertuan Negara. He was sworn in on 3 December 1959. During this time, Singapore faced some racial conflicts. Yusof worked hard to bring people of all races together. He visited different communities to help build trust after the 1964 racial riots.
On 9 August 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia and became an independent country. The role of Yang di-Pertuan Negara was changed. Yusof then became the first President of Singapore. As president, Yusof helped calm citizens who were surprised by Singapore's independence. He continued to promote the idea that all races and religions should live together in harmony. He visited different groups to build a strong national identity.
Yusof served three terms in office. He passed away on 23 November 1970.
Family and Hobbies
Yusof was married to Puan Noor Aishah for 21 years. They had three children: Orkid Kamariah, Imran, and Zuriana. Puan Noor Aishah continued to serve the public. She was the first Asian to become president of the Singapore Girl Guides Association.
Yusof enjoyed sports when he was young. He won a boxing cup in 1932. He was also the national lightweight champion in weightlifting in 1933. One of his hobbies was photography. His wife, Noor Aishah, later gave his photo collection to the National Archives of Singapore. He also loved growing orchids. He even turned the tennis courts at his home into an orchid garden. In 1963, he went on the pilgrimage to Mecca.
His Legacy
Many places and things are named after Yusof Ishak to remember him:
- Yusof Ishak Secondary School was opened in 1966.
- The Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) was renamed the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute in 2015. This was to remember his ideas of fairness and harmony.
- Yusof Ishak House is a building at the National University of Singapore.
- Masjid Yusof Ishak is a mosque in Woodlands. It was opened in 2017.
Other ways he is remembered:
- His picture is on the current Singapore dollar notes, called the portrait series, since 1999.
- In 2014, a wax figure of Yusof was put in Madame Tussauds Singapore.
- For Singapore's 50th birthday (SG50) in 2015, Yusof Ishak was featured on special SG50 Commemorative Notes. These notes celebrated his ideas of fairness and a multi-racial Singapore.
- Yusof is buried at Kranji State Cemetery. This cemetery is for people who have made big contributions to Singapore.
Images for kids
-
Darjah Utama Temasek ribbon
-
Sijil Kemuliaan ribbon
-
Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang ribbon
-
Pingat Jasa Gemilang ribbon
-
Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (Malaysia)
-
Pingat Kemahkotaan 1961 (Selangor)
-
Darjah Kerabat Laila Utama Yang Amat Dihormati (Brunei)
-
Knight of the Order of St John (United Kingdom)
_ribbon.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
_-_SMN.svg){kind=small}
_ribbon.png){kind=small}
