Abdul Rahim Ishak
{{Short description|Singaporean politician and journalist (1925–2001)}}
{{use Singapore English|date=April 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Malay name|Abdul|Ishak|note=on}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Abdul Rahim Ishak
| image = Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew, S. Rajaratnam, Abdul Rahim Ishak, Wong Lin Ken with U Thant at the UN in 1967.jpg
| alt =
| caption = UN Headquarters, 1967: Abdul, Lee Kuan Yew, U Thant, S. Rajaratam and Wong Lin Ken
| office1 = Ambassador for Singapore to Indonesia
| term_start1 = 1974
| term_end1 = 1979
| office2 = Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
| term_start2 = 1969
| term_end2 = 1972
| office3 = Ambassador for Singapore to Yugoslavia, Ethiopia, and Lebanon
| term3 = 1969
| office4 = Minister of State for Education
| term_start4 = 1965
| term_end4 = 1968
| office5 = Ambassador for Singapore to United Arab Republic
| term5 = 1967
| constituency_MP6 = Siglap
| term_start6 = 21 September 1963
| term_end6 = 4 December 1984
| predecessor6 = Sahorah bte Ahmat
| successor6 = Abdullah Tarmugi
| birth_date = {{birth date|1925|07|25|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Singapore
| death_date = {{death date and age|2001|01|18|1925|07|25|df=yes}}
| death_place = Singapore
| occupation = Politician, diplomat, journalist
| education = Raffles College
| party = People's Action Party
| relatives = Yusof bin Ishak (brother)
| spouse = Mawan Wajid Khan
| children = 6
}}
Abdul Rahim Ishak (25 July 1925{{spaced ndash}}18 January 2001) was a Singaporean politician, diplomat and journalist. A member of the People's Action Party (PAP), Abdul 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.
He was 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 bin Ishak, the first President of Singapore.
Early life
Born 25 July 1925 in Singapore, Abdul 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.{{cite news|url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19810711.2.15.aspx |title=RAHIM TO LEAVE FOR NEW ZEALAND TODAY |date=11 July 1981 |page=1 |newspaper=The Straits Times }}
Career and personal life
Abdul 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.{{cite news|url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19741106.2.33.aspx |title=RAHIM IS NEW ENVOY TO JAKARTA |date=6 November 1974 |page=7 |newspaper=The Straits Times }} He succeeded Chan Keng Howe as High Commissioner to New Zealand officially on 12 July 1981. His spouse Cik Mawan Wajid Khan was the president of the Siglap Women's Association. They had six children; they had at least one daughter, Lily Zubaidah Rahim.{{cite news|newspaper=The New Straits Times |url=http://www.singapore-window.org/sw00/001219ns.htm |title=Meritocracy comes under attack |first=Shamsul |last=Akmar |date=19 December 2000 }}
Later life and death
Abdul retired from his political career in 1984 and was rarely seen in public.{{cite book|title=Singapore: The Encyclopedia |url=http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=12768833 |pages=442– |isbn=9814155632 |publisher=Editions Didier Millet in association with the National Heritage Board |year=2006 }} In December 2000, he was hospitalised for treatment.{{cite news|title=Mantan Menteri Negara Kanan Rahim Ishak tenat di hospital |language=Malay |url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/beritaharian20001205-1.2.7.3.aspx |page=2 |date=5 December 2000 |newspaper=Berita Harian }} He died on 18 January 2001 from an unspecified illness, aged 75. Many leaders in Asia offered their condolences.{{cite news|url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes20010119.2.33.10.aspx |title=Tributes pour in from leaders |date=19 January 2001 |page=4 |newspaper=The Straits Times }}