Seems Like YesteryearGovernment House (now the Istana), built by Indian convict labourers on land forming part of former Mount Sophia nutmeg estate. The foundation stone was laid in Jul 1867 by Lady Ord, wife of Colonel Sir Harry St. George Ord, first Governor of the Straits Settlements.

It is a place where Heads-of-State and Government from around the world are entertained when they visit, a place where outstanding citizens are feted with awards and honours, a place where Singaporeans from all walks of life gather for national celebrations.

This is Singapore’s palace: The Istana, which means “palace” in Malay. It has stood for 146 years, and as the nation progresses, the Istana advances alongside. In the beginning, the Istana was not its name, and it was not the palace it is today.

A HOME FOR THE COLONIAL GOVERNORIt was called the Government House, the official residence of Singapore’s British Governor up till 1959 when Singapore was granted self-governance by the British. The British had colonised Singapore in 1819 when British statesman Sir Stamford Raffles stepped on its shores. The Colonial Governor initially stayed in a wooden house located at Fort Canning. However, it was demolished in 1859 to make way for the fort, and the British had to find another suitable place for the Governor’s home.

Governor Sir Harry St. George Ord, who assumed office in 1867, came to know that a 106-acre nutmeg plantation owned by Mr C.R. Prinsep had been languishing due to disease which swept through the plantation and killed off the nutmeg trees. Bordered by Orchard Road to the south, Cavenagh Road to the west, Bukit Timah Road to the north and Mount Sophia to the east, the elevated site provided superb views of the town and harbour and was the perfect site for the Governor’s residence.

Right in the heart of a bustling city, where the streets hum as thousands of people get on with their busy lives, is a shimmering white palace. It is hidden, unseen behind a wall of greenery and the rambling expanse of a magnificent garden; the people who pass through its gates enjoy its serene beauty and serenity.

Government House (now the Istana) in the 1900s.

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Thus, work started on Government House, taking shape under the hands of convict labourers from India, Ceylon and Hong Kong who worked on the construction. For 20 cents a day, the labourers worked as stone masons, plumbers, carpenters, painters and stone cutters.

Under the supervision of Colonial Engineer Major John Frederick Adolphus McNair, who was also the designer, what emerged after two years was a classical-style building which fused European and Malay elements. Neo-Palladian influences were evident, as Major McNair incorporated Greek-style columns, cornices, and arches in his design. The building also featured characteristics typical of Malay houses such as wide verandahs, large louvred windows, as well as dwarfed piers and arches resembling stilts, which elevated the entire structure, providing the interior with much needed ventilation in Singapore’s tropical heat.

In October 1869, the Government House was completed. In a 1890 guidebook on Singapore, it was touted as “the finest building of its kind in the Far East”. A succession of British Colonial Governors lived and entertained on the premise, and it was enlivened by a variety of British and European guests, including royalty.

In the ensuing years, Government House stood tall as the rest of Singapore developed as a thriving trading post and droves of immigrants, hungry for opportunities, started arriving on its shores to forge their futures.

It continued to stand tall even through World War II when shelling took place in nearby Bukit Timah during the Japanese Occupation. During the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese left much of Government

from left to right: Entrance to Government House (now the Istana) facing Orchard Road, in 1910.

Mr Yusof Ishak taking his oath as he is being sworn-in as President of the Republic of Singapore in Dec 1967, at the Istana.

House intact and put up a fence around the grounds which exists today. The British returned when the Japanese surrendered in September 1945.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SINGAPORE PRESIDENCYHowever, it was in 1959 that the building became more than a palatial edifice. It became a national symbol.

That was the year when Singapore achieved full internal self-government. The last British Colonial Governor, Sir William Allmond Codrington Goode, served as Head-of-State—or Yang di-Pertuan Negara in Malay—for just six months before making way for the first Malayan-born Yang di-Pertuan Negara, Mr Yusof Ishak. A distinguished journalist who founded Malay daily newspaper Utusan Melayu in 1939, Mr Yusof, who was serving as the Chairman of the Public Service Commission of Singapore just before his appointment as Yang-di-Pertuan Negara, was sworn in on 3 December 1959.

This marked the turning point for the Istana, which became the President’s official residence and office, and it remains so today.

The Government House was renamed “Istana Negara Singapura”, meaning “Palace of the State of Singapore”. This was shortened to “The Istana” in 1965, when Singapore separated from Malaysia at exactly 10am on 9 August 1965, to become an independent republic.

The farewell to Singapore’s colonial era was felt in the Istana as early as 1958, when the last of the Queen’s birthday parties– traditionally celebrated on the Istana lawn—was held. The headline in a Singapore Free Press article published the next day was—“Solemnity was key

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note at the garden party.” The reporter noted that ladies amongst the 4,000 guests chose to wear sombre, muted colours, and wrote that “the gaiety of previous similar gatherings seemed conspicuously absent”.

Symbols to represent the Institution of the President’s Office which were developed then prevail today. One of these is the Presidential Crest, which was adopted in 1960 and can be seen today hanging over the main doorway of the Istana and its exterior. Letterheads, crockery, official invitations, programmes and other materials connected to the Presidency also bear the crest.

It features a red and white shield on which is emblazoned a lion carrying a stalk of laurel. This shield is crowned by a crescent moon and five stars, and encircled by an orchid wreath. Beneath the wreath flies a red banner with the word “Singapura”.

The shield symbolises the President’s role as the Defender of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, while the lion carrying a stalk of laurel symbolises victory and glory to Singapore, the Lion City.

In 1961, the Presidential Standard was adopted. Flown from the Istana’s highest point, the Presidential Standard is a red flag with a white crescent moon and five stars.

Both the Presidential Crest and Presidential Standard echo key elements of the Singapore national flag. The red represents the universal brotherhood and equality of man, while white represents everlasting purity and virtue. The crescent moon denotes a young country on the ascent, while the five stars stand for democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.

Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yusof Ishak hosting helpers of the Red Cross Flag Day to a reception at Istana Negara in May 1964.

“ I noticed that all the crockery, cutlery, silverware and glassware had the British crest on it, and it was pretty old and grotty. After some time, we decided that we would order new items and replace it with the Singapore crest. That was a big job. I wrote to suppliers in Japan and England, and went over the styles with Puan Noor Aishah. It took six to eight months before it became a reality.” JEAN LEEMBRUGGEN, Comptroller of the Istana household (1960–1964)

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In celebration of self-government, a banquet was held on 2 June 1960 at the Istana Negara where foreign dignitaries were also invited, to mark what Mr Yusof described as “the occasion of the first anniversary of the attainment of internal self-government and the birth of the State of Singapore”. For this occasion, the Istana Negara was turned into a wonderful spectacle of buntings, flags, coloured lights and flood lighting. The grounds, trees and bushes, pathways and building were also decorated.

Mr Yusof was Head-of-State during one of the most tumultuous periods in Singapore’s history, when the fledging nation struggled for economic survival and was divided by racial conflicts. Mr Yusof steadfastly promoted multi-racialism in Singapore. He went out of his way to interact with people of all races to promote multi-racialism in Singapore and help restore trust and confidence amongst the different ethnic groups during the 1964 race riots. His appointment as President also convinced Singaporeans of different races that citizenship did not depend on the colour of their skin, but on their contributions and achievements.

Within the Istana, the marble corridors buzzed with activity as the President embarked on a schedule of formal meetings and informal tea sessions to engage both the local people and foreign guests. Veteran Istana staff recall the post-1965 years as being extremely busy, during which they often had to work over-time. As the Head-of-State of the fledgling nation, Mr Yusof had to build up foreign diplomatic ties and good relations.

Garden parties were organised which involved people from the local community, who were often respectful and appreciative of the chance to enter Singapore’s equivalent of England’s Buckingham Palace.

Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yusof Ishak and other guests attending the State Banquet held at the Istana in Jun 1960.

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“ It was Puan Noor Aishah who taught me how to cook. When I started at the Istana I didn’t know how to cook at all. Slowly, I built up my repertoire of Malay food, like mutton rendang and sambal goreng.” WONG SHANG HOON, Istana chef (1963–present)

Mr Yusof ’s wife, Puan Noor Aishah, worked alongside her husband and with the help of long-serving staff, deftly introduced local touches and efficiently transformed the Istana household from a colonial bastion into a Singapore palace. One of the changes made was the Istana menu. In the place of English-style meals such as roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, Puan Noor Aishah introduced dishes such as beef rendang, otak otak and gula melaka. She trained the Istana cooks to master dishes reflecting local tastes including nasi sambal, chicken rendang and chap chye.

She received guests cheerfully and listened to charity appeals despite not speaking a word of English at the beginning.

President Yusof Ishak’s family stayed in a bungalow on the Istana grounds—Sri Melati—for 11 years from 1959 to 1970. Sri Melati was demolished in the early 1970s when it became structurally unsafe due to damage caused by termites and the Lodge now occupies the same site. President Devan Nair later stayed at the Lodge for a period of time.

Simplicity was the order of the day. Despite the vaunted title, the President and his family, reflecting the frugal sentimental of the 60s, did not indulge in a lavish lifestyle. Likewise, the Istana was run on a tight budget as the priority was to shore up the nation’s finances. Members of the Istana staff were told not to switch on the lights in the day and had to be careful with their water usage. Torn curtains were not replaced but were carefully patched up. Staff quarters, which housed generations of the Istana’s workers and their families, were gradually phased out in the 70s.

Puan Noor Aishah helping Mr S Rajaratnam, then-Minister for Foreign Affairs with the food at a Hari Raya Puasa reception at the Istana on 4 Jan 1968.

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“ Life used to be simple. But once we moved into the Istana, we became very busy, there were many changes in our lives and there was a lot of protocol to observe. We had to meet people and attend ceremonies like the presentation of credentials. I remember there would be courtesy calls in the morning, tea parties in the afternoon, and I had to meet many charity organisations which were coming to me for help! All the meetings and social gatherings were necessary as we were new, and we had to get to know people to win their confidence. Fortunately, I was very young and I could adapt.” PUAN NOOR AISHAH, wife of Singapore’s first President, Mr Yusof Ishak

Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yusof Ishak and Puan Noor Aishah welcoming Assemblymen and guests to Istana Negara for a reception following his tour of the Bras Basah, Bukit Panjang and Bukit Timah constituencies on 10 Aug 1961.

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“ At the back of Sri Melati, Mr Yusof Ishak grew papayas, he was a keen gardener, expert in raising orchids. He set us an example of frugality! That time, in the 1950s and 1960s, Singapore was not that well-off. The Government did not have that much money. We were very careful with every cent. When we had functions at the Istana, we had to count the pennies. Then, to even get one small sum for some project was a great problem. You had to justify it to the Treasury, over and over, for months, haggle, haggle, before you can get anything.” LARRY ONG, Secretary to Singapore’s first President, Mr Yusof Ishak

President Yusof Ishak and Puan Noor Aishah looking at orchids around Sri Melati, Istana, late 1960s.

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Singapore’s first four Presidents –Mr Yusof, followed by Dr Benjamin Sheares, Mr Devan Nair and Dr Wee Kim Wee—were appointed by the Parliament.

On 30 November 1991, the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore was amended to provide for the Singapore President to be elected by the people. In addition to the ceremonial roles as the titular Head-of-State, the elected President has the power to veto a proposal by the Government to spend the state’s budget surpluses accumulated by previous terms of government. He is also able to veto appointments of individuals to key positions in the public sector—including judges as well as board members and directors of key statutory boards and Government companies respectively. In the exercise of these custodial and discretionary powers, the President is advised by a Council of Presidential Advisers.

The fifth and sixth Presidents of Singapore, Mr Ong Teng Cheong and Mr S R Nathan, and the current and seventh President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam were elected by the people. The elected President continues to be the ceremonial Head-of-State and a unifying national figure. He acts on the advice of the Cabinet, except where the Constitution specifies he may act in his discretion in relation to certain matters such as the use of national reserves and ensuring the integrity of the public service. In ceremonial matters, the President represents Singapore at the highest level and helps promote good bilateral and people-to-people ties between Singapore and other countries. Domestically, he continues to use the influence of his position to support charitable, social and community causes.

from left to right: Mr Ong Teng Cheong with then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong (left) and then-Chief Justice Yong Pung How (right) being sworn-in as the fifth President of Singapore at the Istana on 1 Sep 1993.

President C V Devan Nair and founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (left) witnessing the swearing-in of then-Foreign Affairs and National Development Minister S Dhanabalan at the swearing-in ceremony of Cabinet Ministers in the Istana in Jan 1985.

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