President Halimah Yacob leaves office on Wednesday after completing a six-year term. We look back at her term as Singapore’s first female head of state.
On May 29, President Halimah announced that she would not be seeking re-election in 2023.
Her term expires today, and she will be succeeded by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Sept 14. He will be Singapore’s ninth president.
In her six years in office, she championed social causes and spoke up for vulnerable groups such as those with disabilities or older workers.
Madam Halimah Yacob is Singapore’s first female president.
Madam Halimah Yacob, flanked by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) and Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, being sworn in at her inauguration as the eighth president of Singapore at the Istana on Sept 14, 2017. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
“It has been a great honour and privilege to serve as the eighth president of Singapore for the past six years,” the former lawyer said in a statement.
“The experience has been most inspiring and, at the same time, humbling.”
President Halimah with Marsiling resident Jainah Awang, one of about 80 residents from Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC whom the President met at the Istana open house on Oct 22, 2017. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Britain’s then Prince Charles and President Halimah Yacob raising their glasses in a toast during a dinner that she hosted for the Prince and his wife Camilla, who was then the Duchess of Cornwall, at the Istana on Oct 31, 2017. The royal couple, who are now Britain’s King and Queen, were in Singapore as part of their Commonwealth tour, before the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
President Halimah observing maintenance work done on the undercarriage of a train from the maintenance pit during her visit to SMRT’s Bishan Depot on March 14, 2018. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
President Halimah, accompanied by then Chief of Army Goh Si Hou (on her right), speaking to Singapore Armed Forces officer cadets during their training in Temburong in Brunei on May 13, 2018. Madam Halimah was in Brunei on her first state visit since she became president. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
President Halimah taking part in a cheer with Team Singapore swimmers at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on June 5, 2018. She was visiting Team Singapore athletes – from swimming, boccia, pencak silat, water polo and sailing – who were preparing for the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
President Halimah in a photo shoot with students from her alma mater, Tanjong Katong Girls’ School, after a dialogue at the school on June 27, 2018. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, President Halimah and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sharing a light moment with young musicians (from left) Renee Koh, Nadia Chan, Beverley Ng, Yew Jing Yun, Joshua Yip and Olivia Yip during the National Day Observance Ceremony at the Istana on Aug 8, 2018. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
President Halimah (centre, in white) mingling with runners at the Marina Barrage before the start of the Singapore Police Force Bicentennial (SPF200) Run on Jan 11, 2020. Madam Halimah was the guest of honour at the event. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Ms Serene Yap Pei Ching, 40, lead centre principal, taking President Halimah’s temperature at the external foyer of PCF Sparkletots @ Punggol North on March 5, 2020. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
President Halimah and her husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, queuing to cast their votes at Chung Cheng High School (Main) at the 2020 General Election on July 10, 2020. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
President Halimah officiating at the opening of Betsy's Place, an activity hub at Psalt Care, and engaging with others via Zoom on Sept 11, 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Psalt Care, one of the social service agencies supported by the President's Challenge, provides a range of care services and programmes to support the well-being of people facing mental health and addiction issues. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
President Halimah waving at participants during the National Day Parade on Aug 21, 2021. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Then Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob (left) calling on President Halimah during his visit to the Istana on Nov 29, 2021. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
President Halimah tearing up as she speaks during the appreciation event for Covid-19 service workers as part of the third instalment of the #ServingSG series, at the Istana on Jan 27, 2022. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
President Halimah walking through Active Garden, a new attraction at Gardens by the Bay that she officially opened on April 2, 2022. The 1ha space comprises a community garden, two lawns for recreation, fitness equipment for people of various ages, a room for nature-related workshops, and a pet-friendly cafe. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
(From left) President Halimah viewing the Perpetual Blooms sculpture by Cultural Medallion recipient Han Sai Por (in sunglasses) with Minister for National Development Desmond Lee (second from right) and sculpture donor Tan Aik Hock (right) on Nov 9, 2022. The artwork commemorates Gardens by the Bay’s 10th anniversary. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
President Halimah engaging with performers from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts’ School of Young Talents at the Istana open house on Jan 23, 2023. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
President Halimah and her husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, at an orchid naming ceremony with Malaysia’s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, and his wife, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur on March 21, 2023. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIMThe hybrid orchid is called the Vanda Halimah Yacob Mohamed, which is a cross between the Vanda Kulwadee Fragrance and the Vanda tesselata. Each stalk of between 19cm and 24cm bears nine to 10 flowers with white petals, bright violet-blue lips, and purple spots. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
President Halimah visiting the National Museum of Qatar during her state visit to the Middle East, on June 20, 2023. It was her last overseas trip as head of state. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah greeting congregants at Masjid Al-Mukminin on June 29, 2023. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
President Halimah arriving at the State Courts as the guest of honour for the official opening of the State Courts Towers, on July 1, 2023. The opening was originally scheduled for Feb 14, 2020, but was postponed twice because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Madam Halimah was accompanied by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon (far right) and Presiding Judge of the State Courts, Justice Vincent Hoong (third from left). ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Fireside chat between President Halimah and moderator Sun Xueling, Minister of State for Social and Family Development, at the Council for Board Diversity’s 5th Anniversary Event & Forum at Shangri-La Singapore on Aug 31, 2023. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Madam Halimah waving at political leaders and members of the senior management of the Ministry of Education at the Istana during the Teachers’ Day Reception on Aug 31, 2023. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
President Halimah attending the changing of guards ceremony at the Istana on Sept 3, 2023, to thank the Istana Ceremonial Guards for their service. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
President Halimah is accompanied by a security officer as she walks to an engagement at the Istana on June 5, 2023. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah with members of the Council for Board Diversity at the Istana on June 5, 2023. The council was established by the Ministry of Social and Family Development in 2019 under the patronage of the President, and aims to promote female representation on the boards of listed companies, statutory boards and non-profit organisations as a stepping stone to broader diversity. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah attending a meeting with the Council for Board Diversity on June 5, 2023. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah meeting Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas at the Istana on June 5, 2023. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah officiating a swearing-in and appointment ceremony for public servants at the Istana on June 5, 2023. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah walking to an engagement at the Istana on June 5, 2023. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah conferring the Distinguished Service Order on Mr Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investments, for his significant contributions to bilateral relations between Singapore and Indonesia, on June 5, 2023. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah leaving at the end of her engagements for the day at the Istana. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
President Halimah waving goodbye as she leaves the National Day reception at the Istana on Aug 10, 2023. This was Madam Halimah’s last National Day reception as president. More than 1,000 guests, including community leaders, volunteers, healthcare partners and Team Singapore athletes, attended the event. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
