Inauguration of Singapore’s Head of State, Yusof Ishak

Take a look at the colours around the room: the red ceilings and white walls. Red and white reflect the national colours of Singapore’s flag. The room was painted in 1959 to prepare for the inauguration of Yusof Ishak as Singapore’s Yang di-Pertuan Negara, meaning Head of State in Malay. This event is shown on your screen now. Although you cannot see his face clearly in this archive image, you may in fact recognise him: Yusof Ishak is pictured today on the front of Singapore’s bank notes in current circulation. Image © Ministry of Information and The Arts Collection, National Archives of Singapore.