Yusof Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak Al-Haj (/ˈjʊsɒf bɪn ˈɪshɑːk/ YUUSS-off bin ISS-hahk; 12 August 1910 – 23 November 1970) was a Singaporean journalist and civil servant who served as the head of state of Singapore from 1959 to 1970. He initially served as the second Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore between 1959 and 1965 and the first president of Singapore between 1965 and 1970. Born in the Federated Malay States, Yusof received his education in Malaysia and Singapore, graduating from Raffles Institution in 1929. Upon his graduation, he worked in journalism, creating a sports magazine with friends before joining Warta Malaya, a Malay-language daily newspaper. Leaving Warta in 1938, Yusof co-founded Utusan Melayu, a newspaper more centred on Malay issues, in 1939 with other Malay figures in Singapore.

He was a central figure in Utusan's success, staying with the newspaper for two decades. He left Kuala Lumpur in 1959 following conflicts between Utusan and UMNO, which ultimately led to UMNO buying all the shares of Utusan. Returning to Singapore, Yusof was invited to serve as chairman of the Public Service Commission by prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. On 3 December 1959, he succeeded Sir William Goode as Yang di-Pertuan Negara after the People's Action Party (PAP) won the 1959 general election. He would serve in this role until 1965, when Singapore gained independence and the Yang di-Pertuan Negara post was succeeded by the president of Singapore.

Yusof served three terms as head of state in office before he died on 23 November 1970 due to heart failure. During his presidency, he was known for his multi-racial beliefs, especially in the 1960s, when he was a strong supporter of Singapore's merger with Malaysia. Even after Singapore's split from Malaysia, he continued to spread the idea of a multi-racial society. Yusof also believed in education and supported talks on religion. Following his death, he was succeeded by Benjamin Sheares on 2 January 1971. Several places in Singapore bear his name and his portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999.