The spouse of the president of Singapore,[a] sometimes referred to as the first lady or first gentleman, is a title typically held by the wife of the president of Singapore, concurrent with the president's term in office. A courtesy term not enshrined in the Constitution, the spouse's role has never been codified or officially defined, but nevertheless figures prominently in the political and social life of Singapore.
| Spouse of the President of Singapore | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Residence | The Istana |
| Inaugural holder | Noor Aishah |
| Formation | 9 August 1965 |
| Website | Official website |
By tradition, an official portrait of the spouse of the president of Singapore is prominently displayed in government buildings and public institutions alongside the portrait of the president.[1] Jane Yumiko Ittogi is currently the spouse of the ninth President of Singapore, after her husband Tharman Shanmugaratnam won the 2023 presidential election with 70% of the valid votes.
History
editIn December 1959, Noor Aishah, wife of President Yusof Ishak, became the first person to assume the role at the age of 26.[2] Her biography, Puan Noor Aishah: Singapore's First Lady, was published in 2017.[3]
On 14 September 2017, Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee became the first gentleman, after his wife Halimah Yacob won the 2017 presidential election by an uncontested walkover.[4]
List of spouses of the presidents of Singapore
edit| No | Portrait | Spouse of the President | President | Start date | End date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noor Aishah (born 1933) |
Yusof Ishak | 9 August 1965 | 23 November 1970 | ||
| 2 | 
|
Yeo Seh Geok
(1917–2012) |
Benjamin Sheares | 2 January 1971 | 12 May 1981 | |
| 3 | Avadai Dhanam Lakshimi (1925–2005) |
Devan Nair | 23 October 1981 | 28 March 1985 | ||
| 4 | 
|
Koh Sok Hiong (1916–2018) |
Wee Kim Wee | 2 September 1985 | 1 September 1993 | |
| 5 | 
|
Ling Siew May (1937–1999) |
Ong Teng Cheong | 2 September 1993 | 30 July 1999 | |
| 6 | .jpg)
|
Urmila "Umi" Nandey
(born 1929) |
Sellapan Ramanathan | 1 September 1999 | 31 August 2011 | |
| 7 | 
|
Mary Chee Bee Kiang
(born 1941) |
Tony Tan Keng Yam | 1 September 2011 | 31 August 2017 | [5] |
| 8 | .jpg)
|
Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee | Halimah Yacob | 14 September 2017 | 14 September 2023 | [6] |
| 9 |
|
Jane Yumiko Ittogi | Tharman Shanmugaratnam | 14 September 2023 | Incumbent | [7] |
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh (7 February 2017). "Debate on Bill prompts questions on ethnicity and identity". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
- ^ "Puan Noor Aishah – Singapore's first First Lady". Singapore Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh (19 July 2017). "New book launched on Puan Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore's first President Yusof Ishak". Straits Times. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ Tham Yuen-C (14 September 2017). "The man behind her successful career". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ Yin, Chai Hung (23 August 2011). "Women behind the men". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 28 December 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ Tham, Yuen-C (17 July 2017). "More consultation needed before my decision to run for president: Halimah Yacob". Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^ Goh, Yan Han; Ho, Grace (25 August 2023). "Tharman believes S'pore is ready for a non-Chinese PM". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
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