Hamidah Hassan (1927– 1990) Journalist. Born in Penang, Hamidah Hassan started her working life as a schoolteacher in Hutton Lane, Penang. During the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, she became active in a Japanese- sponsored youth movement. In 1945, Hamidah left Penang to work as a reporter in Singapore at Berita Malai (a war- time amalgamation of Utusan Melayu and Warta Melayu newspapers). She was one of the first women to work as a journalist in Singapore.

Hamidah ceased work after marrying Samad Ismail, a journalist from the newspaper Utusan Melayu. When Samad was detained for undertaking anti- colonial activities in 1951, Hamidah took his place at Utusan Melayu. She was also active in politics, joining the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in the early 1950s, and later becoming the head of Wanita UMNO in Singapore.

Hamidah later worked as a journalist for Berita Harian where she was well known for her advice columns under the pen names ‘Kak Timah’ and ‘Sri Siantan’.