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CNA
22-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
SM Lee pays tribute to the late Puan Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore's first president
SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday (Apr 22) paid tribute to Puan Noor Aishah, the wife of Singapore's first President Yusof Ishak, after she died aged 91. In a condolence letter to her three children, Mr Lee said he and his wife Ho Ching were deeply saddened by the death, praising Puan Noor Aishah as a "remarkable woman of her time". "Puan Noor Aishah was the spouse of the head of state during the nation's tumultuous formative period," said Mr Lee. "Singaporeans lived through racial riots, separation from Malaysia and the initial difficult years that followed. "Together with Encik Yusof Ishak, she helped keep the people united and positive even when the odds were long and the outlook was sobering, making a lasting contribution to Singapore." Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching attends the funeral of Puan Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore's first President Yusof Ishak, at Ba'alwie mosque on Apr 22, 2025. (Photo: CNA/ Ili Mansor) Born in Selangor in 1933, Puan Noor Aishah was 16 when she married Mr Yusof in 1949. They went on to have three children. She was just 26 years old when her husband was sworn in as head of state in 1959. Puan Noor Aishah "had to quickly adapt to the new responsibilities, and manage a large household while carrying out ceremonial and official duties", said Mr Lee. "She even made the effort to brush up her English so that she could converse directly with visiting dignitaries. "She did all this with grace and dignity," he added. Mr Yusof served three terms before dying of heart failure in 1970. However, his poor health in the last few years of his presidency led to his wife taking on more of his social responsibilities, such as presenting the National Day Awards. Mr Lee said Puan Noor Aishah performed those roles "with poise and a quiet determination, because she too was committed to build a Singapore that was fair and just, regardless of race, language or religion". "Her gentle spirit, sense of duty and grit left a deep impression on Singaporeans," he added. Then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong takes a wefie with Puan Noor Aishah and her children (from left Imran, Orchid Kamariah and Zuriana on Apr 14, 2017. (Photo: Facebook/Lee Hsien Loong) Mr Lee said he was happy to have kept in touch with Puan Noor Aishah over the years, with one special memory taking place in 2013 when she attended Mr Lee's - who was then Singapore prime minister - National Day Rally in which he announced the naming of a new mosque after her husband. In 2017, Mr Lee launched a book about Puan Noor Aishah's life and in 2019, she visited the Istana for the building's 150th anniversary despite feeling unwell. "We reminisced about the old times when I was a kid, about the same age as the three of you, and we would all play happily together on the Istana grounds," Mr Lee wrote to her three children. "Puan Noor Aishah will be deeply missed. Ho Ching and I wish you and your family comfort in this time of grief," he said. Lee Hsien Loong
CNA
22-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore's first President Yusof Ishak, dies aged 91
Puan Noor Aishah at the launch of the book Puan Noor Aishah: Singapore's First Lady at The Arts House on Jul 18, 2017. (File photo: CNA/Nuria Ling) New: You can now listen to articles. This audio is generated by an AI tool. SINGAPORE: Puan Noor Aishah, the wife of Singapore's first president, Mr Yusof Ishak, has died. She was 91. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that he was deeply saddened to hear of her passing in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Apr 22). "With grace and quiet strength, she stood by Encik Yusof Ishak and steadfastly supported him throughout our tumultuous years of nation building," Mr Wong wrote. "Beyond the Istana, she dedicated herself to serving others through organisations like the Singapore Red Cross and the Singapore Muslim Women's Association." "Her kindness and service touched countless lives — may her legacy continue to inspire us all," he added. Born in Selangor in 1933, she was 16 when she married Mr Yusof in 1949. They went on to have three children. She was just 26 years old when her husband was sworn in as head of state in 1959. He served three terms before dying of heart failure in 1970. In the last few years of his presidency, his poor health led to Puan Noor Aishah taking on more of his social responsibilities, such as presenting the National Day Awards. She was the patron for several organisations – the Red Cross Society, the Young Women's Muslim Association (PPIS), the Children's Society, the Girl Guides Association, the Association for the Blind, the Spastics Association and the Association for the Deaf. For her contributions, Puan Noor Aishah was inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame in 2018.
