Spouse of the president of Singapore explained

Post:Spouse
Body:the
President of Singapore
Incumbent:Jane Yumiko Ittogi
Residence:The Istana
Incumbentsince:14 September 2023
Inaugural:Noor Aishah

The spouse of the president of Singapore is sometimes referred to as the first lady or first gentleman, although it is a courtesy term not enshrined in the Constitution. By tradition, an official portrait of the spouse of the president of Singapore is prominently displayed in government buildings alongside the portrait of the president.[1]

Jane Yumiko Ittogi is 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

In 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

NoPortrait Spouse of the PresidentPresidentStart dateEnd dateRef
1Noor Aishah
Yusof Ishak9 August 196523 November 1970
2Yeo Seh Geok2 January 197112 May 1981
3Avadai Dhanam Lakshimi
Devan Nair23 October 198128 March 1985
4Koh Sok Hiong
Wee Kim Wee2 September 19851 September 1993
5Ling Siew May
Ong Teng Cheong2 September 199330 July 1999
6Urmila "Umi" NandeySellapan Ramanathan1 September 199931 August 2011
7Mary Chee Bee KiangTony Tan Keng Yam1 September 201131 August 2017[5]
8Mohammed Abdullah AlhabsheeHalimah Yacob14 September 201714 September 2023[6]
9Jane Yumiko IttogiTharman Shanmugaratnam14 September 2023 Incumbent[7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh . 7 February 2017 . Debate on Bill prompts questions on ethnicity and identity . The Straits Times . 5 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170805172659/http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/singapolitics/debate-on-bill-prompts-questions-on-ethnicity-and-identity . 5 August 2017.
  2. Web site: Puan Noor Aishah – Singapore's first First Lady . 2022-12-08 . Singapore Women's Hall of Fame.
  3. News: Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh . 19 July 2017 . New book launched on Puan Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore's first President Yusof Ishak . Straits Times . 2022-12-08.
  4. Web site: Tham Yuen-C . 2017-09-14 . The man behind her successful career . 2020-05-23 . The Straits Times . en.
  5. News: Yin. Chai Hung. Women behind the men. 29 September 2017. AsiaOne. 23 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111228174746/http://www.asiaone.com/News/Elections/Story/A1Story20110822-295652/9.html . 2011-12-28 . dead.
  6. News: Tham . Yuen-C . 17 July 2017 . More consultation needed before my decision to run for president: Halimah Yacob . Straits Times . 29 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170729132657/http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/more-consultation-needed-before-my-decision-halimah . 29 July 2017.
  7. News: Goh . Yan Han . Ho . Grace . 25 August 2023 . Tharman believes S'pore is ready for a non-Chinese PM . en . The Straits Times . live . 25 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230825213850/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/tharman-believes-s-pore-is-ready-for-a-non-chinese-pm . 25 August 2023.