Singapore's first female president: 8 things we will remember about Halimah Yacob

With Singaporeans heading to the polls on Friday (Sept 1) to elect the nation's ninth head of state, President Halimah Yacob will soon step down from her role. 

In May, she announced that she will not be running for a second term in the upcoming Presidential Election. 

The 69-year-old later shared that it was because she wanted to retire. 

It has been a good run for her, and we're sure Singaporeans will miss seeing her go about her presidential duties — especially during National Day. 

To commemorate her six years as head of state, here are eight things we will fondly remember about her. 

She's our first female president 

Singapore has had eight presidents over the course of 58 years and out of all of them, President Halimah is the first female president.

She was issued a certificate of eligibility by the Presidential Elections Committee on Sept 11, 2014, and was the only person out of three presidential hopefuls to receive the certificate. 

On Sept 14, 2017, she was sworn in as president. 

In her speech, Madam Halimah said the presidency is a heavy responsibility and she will do her best.

She's the first female Speaker of Parliament

Apart from being our first female president, she was also Singapore's first female Speaker of Parliament, according to a report by the National University of Singapore. 

She was elected as Speaker of Parliament in January 2013 and was continuously re-elected up until 2017.

She made her political debut in 2001 General Election

President Halimah made her political debut during the 2001 General Election. 

She was part of the five-member People's Action Party team contesting in Jurong Group Representation Constituency, and they won. 

Prior to this, she started working at the National Trades Union Congress in 1978 and rose through the ranks to become Deputy Secretary-General in 2007.

She was also appointed as a director of the Singapore Institute of Labour Studies in 1999. 

Her iconic Yishun jumbo flat

When Madam Halimah first became president, some may recall the hoo-ha surrounding her Yishun Jumbo HDB flat. 

She had intended to continue living there despite her newly elevated status and was even Singapore's first head of state to live in public housing while in office. 

This arrangement lasted a few days and once, when she left her home, she was greeted by a cheering crowd at her block's void deck. 

However, due to security matters, she was unable to continue living there while serving as president. 

She and her husband initially couldn't afford a sofa  

Would you believe that at one point of their lives, President Halimah and her husband, Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee, could not even afford a sofa or television? 

The couple had started out their marriage renting a room and staying with relatives while they saved up enough money to buy a flat in Yishun, reported The Straits Times. 

Even after procuring a flat, they "waited a bit more" and saved money before they bought furniture and appliances. 

She was almost expelled from school for skipping classes

Speaking of humble beginnings, President Halimah also struggled with finances while growing up. 

When she was in secondary school, she was nearly expelled for skipping too many classes. 

But she didn't play truant for fun. 

After her father died, her mother became the sole breadwinner and to help her out, Madam Halimah would help out at her hawker stall. 

This made her so tired that she skipped classes. And on the days she attended school, she would fall asleep during lessons. 

Despite this, she had a teacher who encouraged her to not give up and she attributes her success to her teacher. 

She walks around the Istana to keep fit 

Everyone needs some exercise and for President Halimah, the spacious Istana grounds is the place to go. 

In an interview with CNA, she once said: "The Istana grounds are very big, so that gives me a chance to walk around and exercise further, and keep myself fit."

This March, she even shared a picture of herself on Instagram enjoying a walk around the Istana Swan Pond. 

She's an advocate for mental health

When it comes to mental health, President Halimah is very vocal about the topic. 

In July 2021, after the alleged murder of a 13-year-old boy by a 16-year-old boy at River Valley High School, she called for more to be done to support and understand youth who are struggling with mental health issues.

She also added that parents, schools and society are ill-equipped to deal with the matter. 

When tennis player Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open over mental health issues, President Halimah took to Facebook to praise the athlete's actions too. 

"She did the right thing, and in doing so, sent a strong signal to millions around the world struggling with their mental health that it’s okay to walk away from a toxic and stressful environment, even if that will set you back for a while," President Halimah said then.

ALSO READ: President Halimah fulfils students' desire to visit the Istana

melissateo@asiaone.com

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