Elected presidency was legislated in Singapore in 1991 to help safeguard Singapore’s national reserves and ensure the integrity of the public service. The powers of an elected president was first exercised by the incumbent president, Wee Kim Wee. Singapore’s first ...

Between 1959 and 1965, Singapore’s head of state was known as the Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Malay for “Head of State”).The post was created to replace the governor as head of state when Singapore attained self-governing status under British rule. When Singapore became ...

Ling Siew May (b. 1937, Shanghai, China – d. 30 July 1999, Singapore) was the wife of the late former President Ong Teng Cheong, and principal partner at Ong & Ong Architects. She took over the company in 1993 and continued to work even after Ong was elected as ...

David Tay Poey Cher (b. 9 July 1945, Singapore–) is one of the most influential figures in the Singapore photography scene. He was the first Asian to be elected to the Directory Board of the International Federation of Photographic Art. From 1990 to 2013, Tay served ...

Ong Teng Cheong (b. 22 January 1936, Singapore–d. 8 February 2002, Singapore) was the fifth president of Singapore and the first to be elected into office. He was sworn in as president on 1 September 1993. An architect by training, Ong served as a People’s Action ...

Yusof bin Ishak (b. 12 August 1910, Padang Gajah, Trong, Perak–d. 23 November 1970, Singapore), commonly referred to as Yusof Ishak, became Singapore’s first president on 9 August 1965 when gained independence as a sovereign state. The presidency was a natural ...

Benedict Hon Sui Sen (b. 16 April 1916, Balik Pulau, Penang–d. 14 October 1983, Singapore), widely known as Hon Sui Sen, was the first chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB; 1961–68), and the first chairman and president of the Development Bank of Singapore ...

Tony Tan Keng Yam (Dr) (b. 7 February 1940, Singapore–) was the seventh president of Singapore (2011–17). After a career in banking, he entered into politics in 1979 and served as a minister in the cabinet, holding at various times the portfolios of education, ...

Singapore’s national reserves are the net assets (assets minus liabilities) of the country. Being a small nation lacking in natural resources and relying heavily on external trade, Singapore requires ample reserves as its security net to ensure a stable currency ...