Yusof Ishak (1910– 1970) Journalist and head of state. Yusof Ishak was the first president of the Republic of Singapore. Born in Padang Gajah, Perak, Yusof was the eldest son in a family of nine. He was educated at the Malay School at Kurau, Perak, and later at the Malay School in Taiping. In 1921, he began his studies in English at the King Edward VII School in Taiping.

In 1923, Yusof’s father, Ishak Ahmad, a civil servant, was posted to Singapore. Yusof then enrolled briefly in Victoria Bridge School (1923– 24) before gaining admittance to Raffles Institution (RI). He passed his Cambridge School Certificate with distinction (1927) and spent two further years in the Queen’s Scholarship class.

At school, Yusof was an avid sportsman, playing hockey, cricket, waterpolo and boxing. He was Singapore’s lightweight boxing champion in 1933. He was active in the RI Cadet Corps, being the first student ever to be commissioned second lieutenant in that corps. He was also a prefect, and co- editor of the school’s magazine, The Rafflesian.

When Yusof left school in 1929, he and two friends established a fortnightly sports magazine called Sportsman. In 1932, he joined the staff of Warta Malaya, then the leading Malay newspaper. Within a few years, he was made acting editor of that newspaper. In 1938, Yusof and some of his associates decided to start their own newspaper. Yusof resigned from Warta Malaya and established the Utusan Melayu Press Ltd, serving as managing director of this company. The first issue of the newspaper Utusan Melayu was published in May 1939.

During the Japanese Occupation, Yusof remained in Malaya, although his newspaper ceased publication. After the Japanese surrender in 1945, Yusof resumed the publication of Utusan Melayu. In 1957, Yusof decided to move Utusan’s operations to Kuala Lumpur. While there, he was elected president of the Press Club of Malaya.

Beyond journalism, Yusof was active in public affairs. In 1959, he was appointed chairman of the Public Service Commission. In December 1959, he was appointed self- governing Singapore’s first non- European head of state or Yang di- Pertuan Negara. On 9 August 1965, after Separation, Yusof became Singapore’s first president.

During his last years in office, Yusof was often ill. He died of heart failure on 23 November 1970, and was buried at Kranji War Memorial, following a state funeral. Yusof was survived by his wife, Toh Puan Noor Aishah, and three children. Since 1999, his face has adorned Singapore’s currency notes.

Photo credit: National Archives of Singapore