Growing up in the Presidents' shadow
By Reico Wong
my paper
Monday, Nov 21, 2011
IT CAN be hard to live with a famous name, as the relatives of Singapore's six former presidents would readily agree.
Many of them choose to keep a low profile or even go the extra mile to stay out of the public eye, even if it means leaving Singapore
for good.
Small wonder, as many of them share experiences of being accused of leveraging on family connections, or even being exposed to security threats.
Growing up with an illustrious family legacy is no easy task, Ms Fatimah Imran Yusof Ishak, the eldest grandchild of Singapore's first president, told my paper in an exclusive interview.
"We were always expected to be better than the rest, be it in terms of academics or behaviour, and I think it was a bit unfair," said the 33-year-old. "It was often a struggle and I felt very restricted."
She continued to confront such challenges even after she started working.
Ms Fatimah, who has worked mainly in the public sector, said her colleagues would inevitably find out that she is related to the late president. And more often than not, they would label her a "white horse", that is, someone who enjoys privileges because of family connections.
Many also believed that she was stuck up, she said, adding that "I felt they were always waiting for me to make mistakes, and anything I did wrong would seem more glaring".
"It was very difficult to go anywhere in my career," she said. She added that her family members often felt that they were under constant scrutiny and many have chosen to move abroad.
Ms Fatimah herself will soon leave for the Netherlands with her 39-year-old Dutch husband. The couple tied the knot on Nov12.
Her main concern after she leaves is her 78-year-old grandmother, with whom she has a very close relationship.
"As a newlywed, I have a lot to learn from her. She exercised a lot of patience during her marriage to my grandfather," said Ms Fatimah.
Mrs Yusof Ishak wed her husband in an arranged marriage in 1949, when she was just 16 years old. He was 39, and an established journalist at the time.
Because of the large age gap and her lack of education, Mrs Yusof Ishak had to be level-headed and adapt to circumstances.
"My husband and I did not see each other until the wedding day," she said. "At the wedding, he told me, 'Don't be scared. I will look after you and our children'."
He was especially concerned about their children as he neared death, said Mrs Yusof Ishak, as he was worried that they would be neglected if she remarried.
"I said to him: 'Don't worry, our son Imran is already 20 years old. How can I get married again like this? People will see our son and they'd be scared to marry me'."
Mr Imran, who is Ms Fatimah's father, now works as a doctor in Brunei. His younger sister, Zuriana, also lives in Brunei, while his elder sister, Orkid, resides in Malaysia.
Ms Fatimah Imran Yusof Ishak posing with her grandmother, Puan Noor Aishah, who is holding a picture of herself and her husband, Mr Yusof Ishak, taken during their Istana days.
Mr Yusof Ishak is Singapore's first president.
"We were always expected to be better than the rest, be it in terms of academics or behaviour, and I think it was a bit unfair," said Ms Fatimah Imran Yusof Ishak.
"It was often a struggle and I felt very restricted."
Ms Fatimah, who has worked mainly in the public sector, said her colleagues would inevitably find out that she is related to the late president.
And more often than not, they would label her a "white horse", that is, someone who enjoys privileges because of family connections.
The Yang di-Pertuan Negara, Yusof bin Ishak (left) and his wife Toh Puan Noor Aishah (2nd right) at the Japanese Counsel General's residence attending a birthday reception for the Japanese Emperor.
He (Mr Ishak) was especially concerned about their children as he neared death, said Mrs Yusof Ishak, as he was worried that they would be neglected if she remarried.
Mrs Wee Kim Wee (left), the former first lady of Singapore and her daughter, Ms Wee Eng Hwa, with a bowl of udang masak nanas, a classic and delectable Nonya dish of prawns cooked in a spicy pineapple soup
The Wee family (from left), Kim Tee, Kheng Hua, Hock Neo, Mrs Wee, Bee Neo, Hong Neo, Mr Wee Kim Wee, Eng Hwa and Hock Kee.
Studio photo taken in the late '90s of Mr & Mrs Devan Nair with 2 of their 3 sons, their daughter, & their grandchildren.
Back row, standing (L-R): Youngest son Janaprakash, daughter Viyaya Kumari & middle son Janamitra.
Middle row, standing (L-R): Mr Devan Nair, Mrs Nair, daughter-in-law Sabrina (Janamitra's wife).
Third row, seated (L-R): Daughter-in-law Fiona (PJanaprakash's wife), granddaughter Priya (Janamitra's daughter), granddaughter Anjali (Janamitra's daughter). Front row, seated (L-R): Grandaughter Kiran (Janaprakash's daughter), grandson Janashan (Janadas' son). Janadas is not in the picture.
Former president Devan Nair's his eldest son, Mr Janadas Devan, 56, said his father was an unusual person in many ways.
Surgeon Joseph Sheares and his elder sister Constance, children of the late Dr Benjamin Sheares, Singapore's second president and one of the founding fathers of Singapore medicine.
Former president Benjamin Sheares speaking at the tea party to celebrate Prophet Muhammad's Birthday at the Malay Muslim Missionary Society's lecture hall in 1975.
Both sons, Tze Guan and Tze Boon, are trained architects. Tze Guan (second from right), 45, is the vice-chairman of Glowtec Environmental Corporation, a waste-water treatment company, which he co-founded.
Tze Boon (far right), 42, is Chairman of Architecture at environmental design solutions firm Ong & Ong.
Juthika Ramanat - former president S R Nathan's daughter.
She, 52, is the chief executive of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. She is married to lawyer Cheong Gay Eng.
By Reico Wong
my paper
Monday, Nov 21, 2011
IT CAN be hard to live with a famous name, as the relatives of Singapore's six former presidents would readily agree.
Many of them choose to keep a low profile or even go the extra mile to stay out of the public eye, even if it means leaving Singapore
for good.
Small wonder, as many of them share experiences of being accused of leveraging on family connections, or even being exposed to security threats.
Growing up with an illustrious family legacy is no easy task, Ms Fatimah Imran Yusof Ishak, the eldest grandchild of Singapore's first president, told my paper in an exclusive interview.
"We were always expected to be better than the rest, be it in terms of academics or behaviour, and I think it was a bit unfair," said the 33-year-old. "It was often a struggle and I felt very restricted."
She continued to confront such challenges even after she started working.
Ms Fatimah, who has worked mainly in the public sector, said her colleagues would inevitably find out that she is related to the late president. And more often than not, they would label her a "white horse", that is, someone who enjoys privileges because of family connections.
Many also believed that she was stuck up, she said, adding that "I felt they were always waiting for me to make mistakes, and anything I did wrong would seem more glaring".
"It was very difficult to go anywhere in my career," she said. She added that her family members often felt that they were under constant scrutiny and many have chosen to move abroad.
Ms Fatimah herself will soon leave for the Netherlands with her 39-year-old Dutch husband. The couple tied the knot on Nov12.
Her main concern after she leaves is her 78-year-old grandmother, with whom she has a very close relationship.
"As a newlywed, I have a lot to learn from her. She exercised a lot of patience during her marriage to my grandfather," said Ms Fatimah.
Mrs Yusof Ishak wed her husband in an arranged marriage in 1949, when she was just 16 years old. He was 39, and an established journalist at the time.
Because of the large age gap and her lack of education, Mrs Yusof Ishak had to be level-headed and adapt to circumstances.
"My husband and I did not see each other until the wedding day," she said. "At the wedding, he told me, 'Don't be scared. I will look after you and our children'."
He was especially concerned about their children as he neared death, said Mrs Yusof Ishak, as he was worried that they would be neglected if she remarried.
"I said to him: 'Don't worry, our son Imran is already 20 years old. How can I get married again like this? People will see our son and they'd be scared to marry me'."
Mr Imran, who is Ms Fatimah's father, now works as a doctor in Brunei. His younger sister, Zuriana, also lives in Brunei, while his elder sister, Orkid, resides in Malaysia.
Ms Fatimah Imran Yusof Ishak posing with her grandmother, Puan Noor Aishah, who is holding a picture of herself and her husband, Mr Yusof Ishak, taken during their Istana days.
Mr Yusof Ishak is Singapore's first president.
"We were always expected to be better than the rest, be it in terms of academics or behaviour, and I think it was a bit unfair," said Ms Fatimah Imran Yusof Ishak.
"It was often a struggle and I felt very restricted."
Ms Fatimah, who has worked mainly in the public sector, said her colleagues would inevitably find out that she is related to the late president.
And more often than not, they would label her a "white horse", that is, someone who enjoys privileges because of family connections.
The Yang di-Pertuan Negara, Yusof bin Ishak (left) and his wife Toh Puan Noor Aishah (2nd right) at the Japanese Counsel General's residence attending a birthday reception for the Japanese Emperor.
He (Mr Ishak) was especially concerned about their children as he neared death, said Mrs Yusof Ishak, as he was worried that they would be neglected if she remarried.
Mrs Wee Kim Wee (left), the former first lady of Singapore and her daughter, Ms Wee Eng Hwa, with a bowl of udang masak nanas, a classic and delectable Nonya dish of prawns cooked in a spicy pineapple soup
The Wee family (from left), Kim Tee, Kheng Hua, Hock Neo, Mrs Wee, Bee Neo, Hong Neo, Mr Wee Kim Wee, Eng Hwa and Hock Kee.
Studio photo taken in the late '90s of Mr & Mrs Devan Nair with 2 of their 3 sons, their daughter, & their grandchildren.
Back row, standing (L-R): Youngest son Janaprakash, daughter Viyaya Kumari & middle son Janamitra.
Middle row, standing (L-R): Mr Devan Nair, Mrs Nair, daughter-in-law Sabrina (Janamitra's wife).
Third row, seated (L-R): Daughter-in-law Fiona (PJanaprakash's wife), granddaughter Priya (Janamitra's daughter), granddaughter Anjali (Janamitra's daughter). Front row, seated (L-R): Grandaughter Kiran (Janaprakash's daughter), grandson Janashan (Janadas' son). Janadas is not in the picture.
Former president Devan Nair's his eldest son, Mr Janadas Devan, 56, said his father was an unusual person in many ways.
Surgeon Joseph Sheares and his elder sister Constance, children of the late Dr Benjamin Sheares, Singapore's second president and one of the founding fathers of Singapore medicine.
Former president Benjamin Sheares speaking at the tea party to celebrate Prophet Muhammad's Birthday at the Malay Muslim Missionary Society's lecture hall in 1975.
Both sons, Tze Guan and Tze Boon, are trained architects. Tze Guan (second from right), 45, is the vice-chairman of Glowtec Environmental Corporation, a waste-water treatment company, which he co-founded.
Tze Boon (far right), 42, is Chairman of Architecture at environmental design solutions firm Ong & Ong.
Juthika Ramanat - former president S R Nathan's daughter.
She, 52, is the chief executive of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. She is married to lawyer Cheong Gay Eng.
