Aziz Ishak

Who was Aziz Ishak?

Abdul Aziz bin Ishak is a Malaysian freedom fighter, politician and journalist.

Aziz was, in fact, the only member of the pre-war Kesatuan Melayu Muda to have served in the 1955 and post-Merdeka Cabinets under Tunku Abdul Rahman. Between 1955 and 1963, he was the Minister for Agriculture and Co-operatives. As Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives, his efforts in rural development to improve the lives of padi farmers and fishermen were important although less known compared with similar efforts undertaken by the Rural Development Ministry.

Aziz remains an enigma unlike his brother Yusof Ishak who was well known both as a journalist and the founder of Utusan Melayu and as the first President of Singapore after the separation with Malaysia in 1965.