Noor Aishah Mohammad Salim

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Mohammad Salim is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Aishah. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Noor Aishah binti Mohammad Salim DUBC (born 21 May 1933) is the widow of former President, Yusof Ishak.

Yang Amat Berbahagia Toh Puan Noor Aishah DUBC
1st Spouse of the President of Singapore
In role 9 August 1965 – 23 November 1970
President	Yusof Ishak
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Yeo Seh Geok
Personal details
Born	Noor Aishah binti Mohammad Salim (1933-05-21) 21 May 1933 (age 91) Penang, Straits Settlements
Spouse	Yusof Ishak ​ ​ (m. 1949; died 1970)​
Children	Orkid Kamariah binti Yusof (daughter) "Baba" Imran bin Yusof (son) Zuriana binti Yusof (daughter)
Parent(s)	Mohammad Salim Jusoh (father) Fatimah Ali (mother)

She took the role as Spouse of the President of Singapore between 1965 and 1970.

Early life

Noor Aishah was born in Penang in 1933, and was adopted by Mohammad Salim Jusoh (born Barney Perkins) and Fatimah Ali.^[1]

She married Yusof Ishak on 20 November 1949, at the age of 16.^[2]

Other roles

Noor Aishah was patron for the Singapore Red Cross,^[3] the Young Women's Muslim Association,^[4] and the Girl Guides Association.

Girl Guides

Noor Aishah became the first Asian president of the Singapore Girl Guides Association (now Girl Guides Singapore) in 1959. In 1965, she became the patron of the movement.^[5] She was awarded the Laurel Leaf, the highest award of the Singapore Girl Guides' Association, in 1970.^[6]

Veteran Guiding leaders credit her with helping to raise funds for the movement when funding was scarce, and with helping to secure a plot of land for their headquarters in the Clemenceau area in the 1960s.^[5] The Girl Guides named the Puan Noor Aishah Award after her.^[5]

Awards

Noor Aishah was awarded the Pingat Bakti Chemerlang (Distinguished Service Medal; later replaced by the Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang, or Distinguished Service Order) in 1964 for her work in social welfare.^[7]

References

1. Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh (18 July 2017). "New book launched on Puan Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore's first President Yusof Ishak". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
2. "Puan Noor Aishah". Singapore Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
3. "First Lady Puan Noor Aishah, Patron of the Singapore Red Cross Society". National Archives of Singapore. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017. First Lady Puan Noor Aishah, Patron of the Singapore Red Cross Society, at a Christmas Party for 70 Handicapped Children at the Red Cross House in Penang Lane.
4. "Lady Noor Aishah, the First Lady and wife of Singapore's first President, Mr. Yusof Ishak, lays the foundation stone of the Young Women Muslim Association's headquarters at Haigsville Drive, 1967". BookSG. National Library Board Singapore. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
5. Lee, Venessa (12 February 2017). "100 years of Girl Guides in Singapore". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
6. "Puan Noor Aishah receiving the "Laurel Leaf" award, the …". National Archives of Singapore. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017. Puan Noor Aishah receiving the "Laurel Leaf" award, the highest award of the Singapore Girl Guides' Association, at the Istana
7. Chern, Alphonsus (13 August 2015). "Singapore badges of honour". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.