 Having served 14 years as Minister for Social Affairs, Othman was appointed to serve as Singapore’s ambassador to Indonesia in 1977.His term would last three and a half years.He served as Member of Legislative Assembly (193-1965) and Member of Parliament from 1963 to 1980) for the Pasir Panjang Constituency retiring on 5 December 1980 when parliament dissolved on the same day for the 23 December 1980 general election.