Abdul Rahim Ishak

Abdul Rahim bin Ishak (25 July 1925 – 18 January 2001) was a Singaporean politician, diplomat and journalist. A member of the People's Action Party (PAP), Abdul Rahim was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Siglap from 1963 to 1984. He was also a Minister of State for Education from 1965 to 1968 and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for 1969 to 1972.

Rahim served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary first to the United Arab Republic in 1967, Yugoslavia, Ethiopia, and Lebanon in 1969, and to Indonesia from 1974 to 1979. He became an envoy to New Zealand in July 1982. He was the youngest brother of Yusof Ishak, the first President of Singapore.

Early life

Abdul Rahim bin Ishak was born on 25 July 1925 in Singapore. Rahim received his education at King Edward VII School in Perak and Raffles College in Singapore, and was eligible to be a teacher. He worked as a news journalist for the Utusan Melayu from 1947 to 1959.

Career and personal life As Rahim was an ethnic Malay within the PAP, he directly appealed to Malay voters during the short period when the PAP sought to create an opposition while Singapore was part of Malaysia.

Rahim served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary first to the United Arab Republic in 1968, to Yugoslavia, Ethiopia, and Lebanon in 1969, and to Indonesia from 1974 to 1979. He became an envoy to New Zealand in July 1981, succeeding Lee Khoon Choy. He succeeded Chan Keng Howe as High Commissioner to New Zealand officially on 12 July 1981.

Later life and death Rahim retired from his political career in 1984 and was rarely seen in public. In December 2000, he was hospitalised for treatment. He died on 18 January 2001 from an unspecified illness, aged 75. Many leaders in Asia offered their condolences.