510:
policies that continue to impact the Malay community today. Under his tenure, he oversaw the setting up of
Singapore’s Pilgrimage Office, which was Singapore’s first formal system of registration for hajj activities. The system remains today, and continues to be built upon the foundations set in place by him then.
488:
Upon his return, Othman was also elected as
Honorary Secretary of the Singapore Printing Employees Union (SPEU), which sought to secure better wages and working conditions for its members. This was a significant period in Othman’s early years as it marked the time when he would become acquainted with
500:
Days after the formation of the PAP in 1954, Othman joined the political party as his ideology of a national policy of multi-racialism was aligned with what the PAP sought to achieve. He took on the role of producing the party’s Petir publication, and was a member of the bulletin’s editorial board.
559:
Othman was also known for his active involvement in the development of sports and recreation in
Singapore. He was also once a famous tennis player, ranked number 28 in the world. Othman was responsible for setting up a Sports Department within the purview of the Ministry of Social Affairs in 1966,
509:
Othman became
Singapore’s first Minister for Social Affairs after his successful election in the General Elections of 1963, and was at that time the only Malay member in the Cabinet. He also held the concurrent role of Director of the Malay Affairs Bureau, and has been credited with implementing
572:
Having served 14 years as
Minister for Social Affairs, Othman was appointed to serve as Singapore’s ambassador to Indonesia in 1977. His term would last three and a half years. He served as Member of Legislative Assembly (1963-1965) and Member of Parliament (1963 to 1980) for the Pasir Panjang
729:
Othman grew up in a humble family. In the first four years of his life, Othman lived with his Uncle, together with his grandparents and parents, in a kampong area dominated by Malays. He recounted that as a boy, different races lived together harmoniously, and he would have
Chinese and Indian
555:
successful voted for the expulsion of
Singapore from Malaysia. On 9 August, Othman, along with 8 other Singapore ministers, signed the document of separation. On this day, Othman highlighted his concern regarding the communists to Lee Kuan Yew, and only upon assurance did he put pen to paper.
459:
for his secondary education. Othman's grandfather, a religious teacher, objected to Wok Ahmad’s decision to send Othman to Radin Mas and later
Raffles Institution, both of which are English-medium schools. He was afraid that Othman would waver in his religious beliefs in the course of his
464:
Government from the 1950s. This affirmed Wok Ahmad’s beliefs that an
English-language and mainstream education is essential for a brighter future ahead. Othman, on the other hand, did not hold the same worries as his grandfather. He sent one of his daughters to a Catholic school,
485:(founder of the newspaper who would also go on to become Singapore’s first president). In 1950, Othman pursued a Diploma in Journalism in London on a Colonial Development Scholarship, and rejoined Utusan Melayu as a news editor in 1951.
1061:
408:, was a Singaporean politician who served as Minister of Social Affairs between 1963 and 1977. After retiring from politics, he was Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia and served on the boards of the
460:
English-language education, converting him to
Christianity. However, not only did Othman stay faithful to his religion, he became an important bridge between the Malay/Muslim community and the new
1184:
581:
Othman continued to be active and served in the Presidential Council of Minority Rights as a permanent member. He was also appointed as a member of several companies' board of directors.
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1174:
1194:
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531:(UMNO) to fight for Malay racial favouritism. As a result, Othman lost in the 1959 elections when he was contesting as a PAP candidate for the electoral ward of
1154:
489:
Lee Kuan Yew, who had been the legal adviser to Utusan Melayu as well as SPEU. This would mark the beginning of a long and enduring friendship between the two.
520:
The Ministry for Social Affairs would also go on to implement the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) and Mosque Building Fund (MBF) under his leadership.
1149:
1134:
532:
750:(called National Service in Singapore) with the People's Defence Force in 1980, holding the rank of major. He also retired from politics in the same year.
740:, a compilation of stories written by him. Othman has also penned a biography titled: " Never in my Wildest Dreams", as a memoir of his life experiences.
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In 1959, he was asked by the then legislative assembly member Ahmad Ibrahim to be the elected chairman of the PAP Geylang Serai/Tampines branch.
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from 1942-1945, Wok Ahmad enrolled Othman in a Japanese school in the belief that doing so would prevent Othman from being conscripted into the
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He would go on to contest once more in the 1963 General Elections, when he would then succeed and become the elected representative of the
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455:. Following the end of the occupation, Othman would go on to continue his education in Sekolah Melayu Telok Saga before proceeding to
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Constituency retiring on 5 December 1980 when parliament dissolved on the same day for the 23 December 1980 general election.
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He would stay in his role of news editor for 6 more years until his promotion to deputy editor of the newspaper in 1957.
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Othman was married with four children. His hobbies included reading and writing ghost stories, one of his books being
804:
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Malay-language newspaper as a clerk after finishing his education, and was offered a reporter position in 1946 by
747:
1034:
416:. For his political, economic and social contributions to the nation building of Singapore, he was awarded the
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351:
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Othman was considered as one of the 'Old Guard' - the first generation of leaders of independent Singapore.
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101:
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517:(MUIS) entity, which continue to regulate and oversee hajj-related as well as other Muslim affairs.
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469:. His daughter received religious education outside school hours, and remains a Muslim today.
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444:
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In his mid-twenties, Othman went to London to receive further education in a polytechnic.
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Othman was born on 8 October 1924 in the then British colony of Singapore, to a family of
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origins. His father, Wok Ahmad, had been a school teacher and principal. During the
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185:
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for joining the PAP. At the time, they were being courted by the Kuala Lumpur-based
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due to poor health. He was buried at Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery the next day.
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775:"PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DEWAN RA'AYAT (HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES) OFFICIAL REPORT"
542:. Following his successful election, Othman would go on to leave his job at the
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97:
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38:
34:
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The story of Singapore's race relation as seen through the eyes of Othman Wok
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1102:"Othman Wok, member of independent Singapore's first Cabinet, dies aged 92"
26:
404:: عثمان بن ووك; b. 8 October 1924 – d. 17 April 2017), often known as
811:. Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore Government
738:
Malayan Horror: Macabre Tales of Singapore and Malaysia in the 50s
1062:"List of Old Guard at Special Parliamentary Sitting, 26 Mar 2015"
938:"Remembering Lee Kuan Yew: Trusted friend and political comrade"
513:
The Singapore Pilgrimage Office would eventually evolve the
598:
Permanent Member, Presidential Council of Minority Rights.
862:"Remembering Othman Wok: A champion of multi-culturalism"
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and officiated the groundbreaking ceremony of the first
753:
On 17 April 2017, he died at 12.22pm local time at the
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to focus on developing his political career full-time.
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694:Director, Hale medical Clinic (Concourse) Pte Ltd.
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1185:Members of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore
630:Director, Overseas Investment Nominees Pte Ltd.
37:, and the person should be referred to by their
614:Board Member, Sentosa Development Corporation.
638:Director, Bioheath International (S) Pte Ltd.
451:. As a result, Othman would come to learn the
646:Director, Autologous Blood Bank (S) Pte Ltd.
8:
225:21 September 1963 – 5 December 1980
730:playmates whom he conversed with in Malay.
686:Director, Property Services International.
606:Board Member, Singapore Tourist Promotion.
1073:Ministry of Communications and Information
805:"PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL FOR MINORITY RIGHTS"
47:
1190:Recipients of the Darjah Utama Nila Utama
1175:Singaporean politicians of Malay descent
583:
271:2 November 1963 – 9 August 1965
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622:Director, Overseas Investment Pte Ltd.
153:12 August 1965 – 15 April 1968
89:19 October 1963 – 30 June 1977
1195:Members of the Parliament of Singapore
1165:Ambassadors of Singapore to Indonesia
963:, Othman Wok, Raffles, 2000, page 141
654:Director, Utusan Melayu (S) Pte Ltd.
7:
523:Othman was branded a traitor to the
1150:Members of the Cabinet of Singapore
1135:Singaporean people of Malay descent
1104:. the Straits Times. 17 April 2017.
1035:"Old Guard pay their last respects"
888:Omar, Marsita; Saparudin, Kartini.
529:United Malays National Organisation
832:Historical Dictionary of Singapore
14:
1155:People's Action Party politicians
860:Cheong, Suk-Wai (17 April 2017).
835:. Justin Corfield. 2010. p.
710:Director, Bright Steel Pte Ltd.
662:Director of Sembawang Holdings.
441:Japanese occupation of Singapore
414:Sentosa Development Corporation
940:. Straits Times. 24 March 2015
590:Appointment and Organisation
1:
718:Chairman, Lion Asiapac Ltd.
702:Director, Mindsets Pte Ltd.
515:Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
1180:Members of the Dewan Rakyat
678:Director, C. Thru Pte Ltd.
670:Director, Gainall Pte Ltd.
78:Minister for Social Affairs
1211:
1009:d’Oz International Pte Ltd
1005:"Mr Inche Haji Othman Wok"
960:Never in My Wildest Dreams
755:Singapore General Hospital
540:Pasir Panjang constituency
420:(Second Class) in 1983 by
65:
20:
386:
299:
264:
218:
146:
82:
73:
64:
1121:on ourstory.asia1.com.sg
1069:Remembering Lee Kuan Yew
975:"From history with love"
477:Othman joined the local
410:Singapore Tourism Board
553:Parliament of Malaysia
551:On 7 August 1965, the
449:Japanese Imperial Army
27:surname or family name
16:Singaporean politician
1160:Singaporean diplomats
979:People's Action Party
577:Post political career
462:People's Action Party
352:People's Action Party
809:Singapore Government
282:Position established
254:Malaysian Parliament
207:Singapore Parliament
142:Minister for Culture
1170:Singaporean Muslims
894:Singapore Infopedia
467:CHIJ Katong Convent
457:Raffles Institution
418:Order of Nila Utama
397:DUNU (Second Class)
364:Raffles Institution
326:Straits Settlements
57:DUNU (Second Class)
973:Chiang, Hai Ding.
294:Position abolished
927:, 25 January 1997
746:Othman completed
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533:Kampong Kembangan
453:Japanese language
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1075:. Archived from
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748:military service
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1082:on 2 April 2015
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1084:. Retrieved
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1071:. Singapore
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1044:. Retrieved
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1017:. Retrieved
1013:the original
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987:. Retrieved
983:the original
978:
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954:
942:. Retrieved
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897:. Retrieved
893:
890:"Othman Wok"
866:. Retrieved
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813:. Retrieved
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787:. Retrieved
783:Dewan Rakyat
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473:Early career
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337:(2017-04-17)
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289:Succeeded by
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241:Succeeded by
235:Tee Kim Leng
220:
193:Succeeded by
174:Lee Kuan Yew
148:
136:Ahmad Mattar
131:Succeeded by
114:Lee Kuan Yew
84:
67:عثمان بن ووك
42:
30:
29:. The name
18:
1145:2017 deaths
1140:1924 births
587:Year/Term
483:Yusof Ishak
277:Preceded by
231:Preceded by
181:Preceded by
162:Yusof Ishak
121:Preceded by
98:Yusof Ishak
1129:Categories
1119:Othman Wok
761:References
611:1981–1987
603:1981–1994
568:Ambassador
437:Orang Laut
431:Early life
425:Devan Nair
406:Othman Wok
379:journalist
376:Politician
370:Occupation
359:Alma mater
315:1924-10-08
52:Othman Wok
39:given name
35:patronymic
23:Malay name
789:19 August
422:President
342:Singapore
322:Singapore
267:In office
259:Singapore
221:In office
158:President
149:In office
94:President
85:In office
1086:29 March
1046:29 March
1019:21 April
868:18 April
505:Minister
21:In this
989:4 April
944:1 April
899:1 April
815:1 April
443:in the
843:
43:Othman
1080:(PDF)
1065:(PDF)
1040:Today
778:(PDF)
715:1996
707:1996
699:1996
691:1995
683:1994
675:1993
667:1992
659:1989
651:1988
643:1987
635:1983
627:1982
619:1981
595:1981
33:is a
1088:2015
1048:2015
1021:2015
991:2015
946:2015
901:2015
870:2017
841:ISBN
837:2000
817:2015
791:2019
412:and
402:Jawi
332:Died
309:Born
257:for
211:for
31:Wok
1131::
1067:.
1037:.
1007:.
977:.
921:,
909:^
892:.
878:^
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807:.
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535:.
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324:,
41:,
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400:(
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313:(
45:.
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