Halimah’s journey PHOTOS: THE STRAITS TIMES, LIANHE ZAOBAO, BERITA HARIAN, BUSINESS TIMES STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS Madam Halimah Yacob is set to be Singapore’s first female president. Here is a timeline of her career 1962 Born in her family home in Queen Street, the youngest of five children. Her father dies. As a child, she helps her mother, who sells nasi padang from a pushcart plying Shenton Way before getting a hawker stall licence. Attends Singapore Chinese Girls’ School; one of the few Malay pupils there. 1960s 1970s Goes to Tanjong Katong Girls’ School and the University of Singapore where she graduates with a law degree. Marries her university sweetheart Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, a businessman. They have five children. 1978 Joins the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) as a legal officer. She spends more than 30 years there, eventually becoming deputy secretary-general. Becomes Minister of State at the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Appointed Singapore’s first female Speaker of Parliament. Aug 23 Late 1980 June 2001 2011 2013 1954 Enters politics at the urging of then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, and goes on to contest and win in four general elections. She was most recently an MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.