General elections were held in Singapore on 2 April 1955 to elect 25 members of the Legislative Assembly. It marked a pivotal moment in Singapore's political development, being the first election conducted under the Rendel Constitution, which introduced a significantly expanded legislature with a majority of elected seats. Of the 32 seats in the new Legislative Assembly, 25 were contested by election, while the remainder were filled by nominated or ex-officio members. The election featured multiple new political parties and was the first to witness widespread participation by locally founded political organisations.[1][2]
The 1955 election was significant in setting the stage for the self-governance of Singapore. It introduced a partially elected government responsible for internal affairs, though the British colonial authorities retained control over external affairs, defence and internal security.[1][2] With more than 300,000 registered voters, the 1955 election saw a significant surge in voter registration compared to the 1948 and 1951 elections. However, voter turnout remained relatively low at 52.66%.[4][6] The outcome of the election underscored the fragmentation and diversity of political opinion at the time as well as the rising tide of anti-colonial sentiment that would shape Singapore's future political trajectory.[7]
Background
Following the promulgation of the Rendel Constitution, the 1955 elections marked the first occasion in which a majority of the Legislative Assembly seats were filled by election rather than appointment by the British colonial authorities. The new constitution was drafted based on recommendations from a committee headed by George William Rendel, aimed at granting greater autonomy to local citizens.[1][2]
Under the new constitutional framework, executive power was shared between local elected representatives and the British colonial administration, with the introduction of the position of Chief Minister, who would be selected from among the elected legislators. The number of elected seats was increased to 25, while the British government retained the authority to appoint the remaining seven members. For the first time, political parties were allowed to adopt a standard symbol for all their candidates, and independent candidates could choose their own symbols instead of relying on a ballot system.[1][5]
Additionally, the Colonial Secretary were replaced by the Chief Secretary, who was granted the power to appoint four nominated Assembly members. Several seats were removed from the legislature, including those held by the Solicitor-General, two directors, two ex officio members, representatives of the three commercial organisations (Singapore, Chinese and Indian) and the City Council.[2][5]
This election remains unique in Singapore's political history as the only general election to have resulted in a coalition government, the only occasion on which there was a hung legislature and the only time ever since that a ruling government was not formed by the People's Action Party (PAP). On the opposition side, the newly established PAP, led by lawyer and former PP election agent Lee Kuan Yew, deliberately contested only a limited number of constituencies as a protest against the Rendel Constitution. After the election, independent candidate Ahmad Ibrahim joined the PAP, bringing its representation in the Assembly to four members. Lee won Tanjong Pagar with 78.33% of the votes, one of the highest margins in the election, and later remarked that he had also considered contesting Tanglin, but chose Tanjong Pagar due to its strong dockworker base and welfare networks.[7][3]
Although the electorate had expanded more than sixfold compared to previous elections, this remained the last general election to date in which voting was not compulsory. Voter turnout increased only marginally to 52.66%, a rise of 0.61%. Southern Islands recorded the highest turnout at 70%, while six constituencies saw turnouts below 50%, with Geylang registering the lowest at 41%. In contrast, the lowest turnout in the 1951 election had been City, at 44%. This was also the last general election where no party contested every seat.[4]
The best-performing candidate was Lim Yew Hock of the LF, a future Chief Minister, who secured 86% of the vote and won by a margin of 79 percentage points. At the other end of the spectrum, independent candidate Chua Kim Watt received just 0.55% of the vote in Farrer Park, making him the worst-performing candidate. The narrowest winning margin was recorded by Malay Union candidate Inche Sidik, who won by just 1.15 percentage points. Ten candidates forfeited their $500 election deposits after failing to secure the required vote threshold.[4]
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