• Wion
  • /World
  • /Halimah Yacob set to be first woman president of Singapore

Halimah Yacob set to be first woman president of Singapore

Halimah Yacob set to be first woman president of Singapore

Halimah Yacob

Story highlights

From the ethnic Malay minority, Halimah Yacob is set to be the first women President of Singapore

Halimah Yacob, the former speaker of Singapore's Parliament, is set to become the first woman president of Singapore.

Halimah became eligible to contest the elections after the Singapore's Presidential Elections Committee gave its approval. This year the ceremonial post had been reservedfor the candidates from the Malay minority.

63-year-old Yacob who belongs to the ethnic Malay minoritywas the only presidential hopeful after Farid Khan, 61, and Salleh Maricane, 67, were informed by the presidential committee that they weren'tqualified to contest the elections,The Straits Times said.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Halimah Yacob entered politics in 2001as an MP for the Jurong Group Representation Constituency (GRC). On 14 January 2013, Halimah Yacob became Speaker of Parliament after being nominated by the Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Halimah Yacob is thedaughter of an Indianwho died when she was 8-years-old.

Halimahis married to Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee and has five children.

She completed her LLM degree from Singapore University of Law.