A distinguished journalist who founded the Utusan Melayu in 1939, Yusof bin Ishak (1910 -1970) became Chairman of the Public Service Commission of Singapore in 1959 at the invitation of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister. After the PAP won the 1959 election and Singapore achieved self-government, Yusof bin Ishak was appointed the Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore, or Head of State, and when Singapore gained independence on 9 August 1965, Yusof bin Ishak became the first President of the Republic of Singapore.
Yusof bin Ishak was President during one of the most tumultuous periods in Singapore’s history, when the young Singapore nation struggled for economic survival and was divided by racial conflicts. Yusof bin Ishak contributed significantly to containing the latter challenge by steadfastly promoting multi-racialism in Singapore. He went out of his way to interact with people of all races to help restore trust and confidence amongst the different ethnic groups during the 1964 race riots. His appointment as President also convinced Singaporeans of different races that citizenship did not depend on the color of their skin, but on their contributions to their shared homeland and their merit as individuals. President Ishak passed away in November 1970 and was buried at the Kranji State Cemetary