1959 Kedah Tengah by-election

1959 Kedah Tengah by-election

←  1959 30 September 1959 1964  →
P009 Kedah Tengah seat in the Dewan Rakyat
Turnout	75.40%
First party Second party Third party   All PMIP Candidate Khir Johari Hussain Che Dol Mohamed Shariff Babul Party UMNO PMIP PRM Alliance Alliance SF Popular vote 11,271 4,435 1,234 Percentage 66.53% 26.18% 7.28%
MP before election Khir Johari Alliance (UMNO) Elected MP Khir Johari Alliance (UMNO)

The Kedah Tengah by-election is a parliamentary by-election that was held on 30 September 1959 in the state of Kedah, Malaysia. The Kedah Tengah seat was the only remaining constituency where elections have not been completed in the 1959 Malayan general election. Khir Johari of Alliance won the seat in 1955 Malayan general election with 29,646 majority.

The election was postponed due to disqualification of PMIP candidate Mansur Ishak two days before 19 August polling day. ^{[1] [2]} Mansur Ishak have been admitted to hospital roughly two weeks prior polling day ^[3] but no reason were provided by Election Commission. ^[4]

Khir Johari of Alliance, defended the seat, defeating Mohamed Shariff Babul of SF and Hussain Che Dol of PMIP with a reduced majority of 6,836 votes. The constituency had 22,762 voters. ^{[5] [6]}

Nomination

Nomination day was fixed at 8 September 1959 while polling day was set on 30 September 1959. ^[7]

Prior nomination day, PMIP consider three names to fight Khir Johari. Those were chairman of party state election committee, Ahmad Shukri, former teacher, Mohammed Noor and Abu Bakar Hamzah, defeated candidate for Perlis Utara during 19 August polling day. ^[8]

On nomination day, Alliance renominated incumbent MP and Minister of Education, Khir Johari. SF nominated state publicity chief, Mohamed Shariff Babul while PMIP nominated former Alliance state councilor and their Kedah publicity chief, Hussain Che Dol. ^[9]

Results

Malaysian general by-election, 30 September 1959: Kedah Tengah

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
Khir was elected to Parliament in the Kedah Tengah by-election, 1959. Kedah Tengah is the only remaining constituency where elections have not been completed in the Malayan general election, 1959.
	Alliance	Mohamed Khir Johari	11,271	66.53	29.03
	PMIP	Hussain Che Dol	4,435	26.18	26.18
	Socialist Front	Mohamed Shariff Babul	1,234	7.28	7.28
Total valid votes			16,940	100.00
Total rejected ballots			223
Unreturned ballots			0
Turnout			17,163	75.40	4.40
Registered electors			22,762
Majority			6,836	43.35	47.81
	Alliance hold		Swing

References

1. "Khir faces 2 rivals in fight for last seat". The Straits Times . 1959-09-09. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
2. "'Big guns' ready for polls battle". The Straits Times . 1959-09-05. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
3. "A MINISTER'S OPPONENTIS TAKEN ILL". The Straits Times . 1959-08-01. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
4. "Candidate barred: It's so confusing, says Khir". The Straits Times . 1959-08-19. p. 16. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
5. "Khir wins by 6,800 votes". The Straits Times . 1959-10-01. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
6. "Big ovation for Khir". The Straits Times . 1959-10-01. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
7. "The 104th seat—polling on Sept. 30". The Straits Times . 1959-08-22. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
8. "PMIP NAME 3 POSSIBLES FOR KEDAH TENGAH SEAT". The Straits Times . 1959-09-03. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
9. "KHIR IS ODDS-ON FAVOURITE TO WIN 74th SEAT FOR ALLIANCE". The Straits Times . 1959-09-30. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-02-19.