SINGAPORE : Puan Noor Aishah, the woman of Singapore’s first senator, 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 joy and peaceful strength, she stood by Encik Yusof Ishak and firmly supported him throughout our stormy times of country constructing,” Mr Wong wrote.
” Beyond the Istana, she dedicated herself to serving others through institutions like the Singapore Red Cross and the Singapore Muslim Women’s Association. “
” Her compassion and company touched countless lives — perhaps 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 kids.
She was only 26 years old when her father was sworn in as head of state in 1959. He served three words before dying of heart malfunction in 1970.
In the last few years of his presidency, his weak health led to Puan Noor Aishah taking on more of his social duties, such as presenting the National Day Awards.
She was the patron for several companies – 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.