Mr Yatiman Yusof is an Adjunct Faculty and Programme Advisor of the School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences at Singapore University of Social Sciences.
He was educated at Sang Nila Utama Secondary School in Singapore from 1961 to 1964. He was trained at the Teacher's Training College between 1965 and 1968. He received his tertiary education at the University of Singapore from 1969 to 1972, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Malay Studies.
Mr Yatiman was a teacher from 1965 to 1978. He became a journalist (leader and a feature writer) in 1978 and went on to become assistant to the Editor, Assistant Editor and finally, Editor of Berita Harian and Berita Minggu. In 1984, he became Advertising Manager of Berita Harian and Berita Minggu, of The Straits Times Press (1975) Ltd. While with Berita Harian and Berita Minggu, he was awarded a fellowship at Wolfson College in Cambridge University, UK, from March to June 1984.
Mr Yatiman was elected the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kampong Kembangan Constituency in 1984. In 1988, he was elected one of three MPs for the Tampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC). In the 1991 General Election, he was re-elected one of four MPs in the same GRC. He was returned unopposed in the 1997 General Election as one of four MPs in Tampines GRC. In the 2001 General Election, he was elected one of five MPs for Tampines GRC.
In 1986, he left Berita Harian and Berita Minggu to take up his appointment as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He was re-appointed Parliamentary Secretary in 1988.
In November 1990, he was re-appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in the Government led by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. He was re-appointed to this post in September 1991. On 15 January 1996, he was promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He was appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Information and the Arts on 25 January 1997. On 23 November 2001, he was appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts. On 16 August 2004 he was re-appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts in the Government led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He retired on 30 May 2006.
He is currently Singapore’s High Commissioner (Non-Resident) to the Republic of Kenya. He is also a board member of Singhealth Pte Ltd, Public Guardian's Board and the Singapore Press Holding Foundation.