SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and 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 addressed to her son Dr Imran Yusof Ishak, Mr Wong said that Puan Noor Aishah brought great honour to the office of the president and made many contributions to Singapore.
As the wife of Singapore’s first head of state, she carried out her role with grace and humility, said Mr Wong, adding that her “devotion to her role” and “deep sense of duty touched many lives”.
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,” he added.
“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.”
