Story of the first woman of Singapore president, selling the rice Padang until nearly out of school

News24xx.com - President-elect of Singapore, Halimah Yacob have a sad story in her childhood. The former chairman of the Singapore House was born August 23, exactly 63 years ago on Queen Street located in the Bugis area.

When she was eight years old, her father died. In order to support her five children, Halimah's mother sells rice Padang with a small cart.

Halimah lives in a flat house with only one room with her sisters.

Despite being the youngest child, Halimah help her mother to sell the rice Padang. She diligently helps by cleaning up their small restaurant, washing cutlery, tidying up the customer's seating tables. Halimah also diligently to serve the customers.

Halimah's intelligence made her successful in two prestigious schools in junior and senior high school. And she chose to go to the Chinese Girls' School Junior High School, the majority of whom are Chinese female students. High school level in Tanjong Katong Girls' School.

Her life in the junior high and high school is very difficult. She is often late in paying her school fees.

But when high school, Halimah almost expelled from school for often ditching. At that time, Halimah chose not to go to school to help her mother to sells rice Padang.

Halimah successfully entered the highly prestigious Faculty of Law of the University of Singapore (now National University of Singapore). She was awarded a scholarship from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

Mother of five children completed her study in 1978. She then joined with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) or Singaporean labor organization.

She started her career in the NTUC Law Division fighting for workers' rights. NTUC became where Halimah for work from the bottom until elected as Deputy Secretary General, the second strongest position in NTUC.

It is not surprising that Halimah is very popular with the workers, as she did spend thirty years at NTUC.

In 2001 after being persuaded by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Halimah decided to plunge into politics.

She was elected to represent the Jurong constituency as well as engrave history as the first woman to become a member of parliament of the Malay Tribe.

The wife of Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee was later appointed a cabinet member with the position of young minister in various ministries.

In January 2013 Halimah elected as Speaker of the House, becoming the first woman believed to occupy that position.

Her election victory led her to become the first female president of Singapore. But even so, Halimah figure remains simple. She remained in a flats in the Yishun area, north of Singapore, despite her position as Speaker of the House.

Halimah made her plan to stay in the apartment after taking office as President.

Halimah is scheduled to be sworn in as President of the eighth Singapore in the Presidential Palace, Wednesday night September 13, 2017.