1963 Singaporean general election

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1963 Singaporean general election
Flag of Singapore.svg
  1959 21 September 1963 1968  

All 51 seats in the Legislative Assembly
26 seats needed for a majority
Registered617,750
Turnout95.11% (Increase2.svg 5.04pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Mr. Lee Kuan Yew Mayoral reception 1965 (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg 3x4.svg
Leader Lee Kuan Yew Lee Siew Choh Ong Eng Guan
Party PAP BS UPP
Last election54.08%, 43 seats
Seats won37131
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 6NewNew
Popular vote272,924193,30148,785
Percentage46.93%33.24%8.39%
SwingDecrease2.svg 7.15ppNewNew

Map of the results of the 1963 Singaporean general election.svg
Results by constituency

Prime Minister before election

Lee Kuan Yew
PAP

Prime Minister after election

Lee Kuan Yew
PAP

General elections were held in Singapore on 21 September 1963, five days after Singapore became part of Malaysia. Voters elected all 51 members of the Legislative Assembly. The elections were the only ones to date with no boundary changes to any existing constituencies prior to the elections. The result was a victory for the People's Action Party (PAP), which won 37 of the 51 seats, while the majority of the remaining seats were won by Barisan Sosialis (BS).

Contents

The ruling party of Malaysia, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), contested the elections as part of the Singapore Alliance Party (SAP) in an attempt to oust the PAP, violating a previous agreement not to do so[ citation needed ] and straining relations between the two parties. The Alliance lost all seven seats which it held prior to the elections. Their participation in the elections prompted the PAP to contest seats in Peninsula Malaysia in the next federal election held in 1964, further adding to more tension between the two ruling parties.

As Singapore would gain independence in 1965, the elections were the only ones held as a state of Malaysia. After independence, the elected members of the Legislative Assembly would then become Members of the inaugural Parliament of Singapore.

A total of 210 candidates contested the elections – making it the largest slate of candidates to contest ever in Singapore's history. The ruling PAP – 51 candidates, its breakaway parties BS – 46 candidates and UPP – 46 candidates and the Alliance, the Singapore branch of the Malaysian federal ruling coalition – 42 candidates all vied to form the next government. This also marked the last time that any other party than the PAP would field candidates in more than half the total parliamentary seats. With two breakaway factions of the PAP fielding nearly full slate of candidates, this was the most hard fought election in Singapore's history and particularly for the ruling PAP.

This was the most recent general election in which the PAP received less than half of the popular vote, at only 47%. It was also the last general election in which an incumbent minister was defeated until 2011 and the last general election in which all seats were contested until 2015.

Background

Although the People's Action Party (PAP) had won 43 seats in the 1959 elections, they lost four seats in 1961 (two were from the by-election defeats, and two defected to the new United People's Party (UPP)). A further 13 legislators were expelled from PAP for voting against the government in a no-confidence motion on 20 July 1961; the dissidents subsequently formed a new party, the Barisan Sosialis (BS), alleging PAP as a communist front. The combination of by-election defeats, defections and expulsions reduced the PAP by 17 seats down to 26, leaving PAP with a one-seat majority.

On 3 July 1962, while the integration referendum debate was in procession, the PAP lost its majority following the resignation of legislator Ho Puay Choo (who later joined BS on 11 August). Five days later, UPP legislator S. V. Lingam returned to PAP fold, giving it back its one-seat majority. However, the PAP lost its majority again five days later after health minister Ahmad Ibrahim died from liver cancer. BS initially planned to field its iconic leader, Lim Chin Siong, in the vacated seat, but the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew opted against a by-election, and instead called a fresh election.

On 31 August 1963, Singapore was declared independent from the United Kingdom with PAP declared as trustees until the merger with Malaysia could be complete. On 3 September, Lee dissolved the Legislative Assembly in accordance with procedure, and called for elections to be held on 21 September.

Timeline

3 SeptemberDissolution of 2nd Legislative Assembly
12 SeptemberNomination Day
21 SeptemberPolling day
22 OctoberOpening of 3rd Legislative Assembly

Campaign

The elections, held in the midst of Singapore's merger with Malaysia, are remembered as the PAP's hardest-fought as the party faced intensive challenges from three other parties that fielded nearly full slates. BS collated with Parti Rakyat, and fielded candidates in all but two seats, while UPP had an unusually large number of candidates. The PAP government launched Operation Coldstore on 2 February 1963 and detained several BS leaders, including Lim.

On the final night of campaigning, PAP officials warned that should BS win the election and defeat PAP, the Malaysia Federal government could send troops into Singapore to invoke emergency powers in place of the incoming government led by the new pro-communist party, leaving no opportunity for BS to respond. This was said to have accounted for the eventual victory of the PAP the following day.

The sole Workers' Party (WP) legislator David Marshall resigned from the party he founded and became the only independent. Another participant was Singapore Alliance, an extension of the ruling federal Alliance Party in Malaysia, which was a coalition consisting of the Singapore People's Alliance (SPA) along with the local branches of UMNO, the Malayan Chinese Association and Malayan Indian Congress. However, former Chief Minister and leader Lim Yew Hock opted not to run in the elections, citing a defamation campaign by the PAP. [1]

Results

The PAP won a landslide victory, securing a two-thirds majority, an outcome that had been in doubt or unexpected in the lead-up to the vote. However, the party's vote share was its lowest-ever at just under 47%. Despite the BS and UPP winning a combined 14 seats, both parties failed to win most of the seats they contested, due to the split of the anti-PAP vote. A total of 92 candidates lost their deposits.

The Singapore Alliance lost all seven seats it had held before dissolution, losing even in core support areas such as Malay constituencies Kampong Kembangan, Geylang Serai and Southern Islands.

Nine incumbent members failed to be re-elected, among which the defeats of Kenneth Michael Byrne and Tan Kia Gan (in the seats of Crawford and Paya Lebar, respectively) marked the first time a higher-ranked PAP cabinet minister had been defeated in their constituencies. This would not happen again until the 2011 elections, 48 years and 11 elections later, where cabinet ministers Lim Hwee Hua and George Yeo were defeated in his constituency of Aljunied.

Singapore Legislative Assembly 1962.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
People's Action Party 272,92446.9337–6
Barisan Sosialis 193,30133.2413New
Singapore Alliance 48,9678.420–3
United People's Party 48,7858.391New
Partai Rakyat 8,2591.4200
Pan-Malayan Islamic Party 1,5450.2700
United Democratic Party 7600.130New
Workers' Party 2860.0500
Independents6,7881.170–1
Total581,615100.00510
Valid votes581,61599.01
Invalid/blank votes5,8180.99
Total votes587,433100.00
Registered voters/turnout617,45095.14
Source: Singapore Elections

By constituency

ConstituencyElectoratePartyCandidateVotes%
Aljunied 16,152 People's Action Party S. V. Lingam7,74550.90
Barisan Sosialis Thio Kheng Lock4,62430.39
Singapore Alliance Party Lim Koon Teck 1,68111.05
United People's Party Woo Kong Seng1,1657.66
Anson 9,192 People's Action Party Perumal Govindaswamy 3,95746.90
Barisan Sosialis Chan Chong Keen3,12337.02
Singapore Alliance Party A. K. Isaac5436.44
Independent David Marshall 4164.93
United People's Party Vythalingam V.3063.63
Workers' Party Chiang Seok Keong911.08
Bras Basah 10,678 People's Action Party Ho See Beng4,92651.80
Barisan Sosialis Leong Kwan Fai3,83140.28
United People's Party Pan Cheng Luan3353.52
Singapore Alliance Party Wong Chin Sen3043.20
Workers' Party Chua Chin Kiat1141.20
Bukit Merah 12,225 Barisan Sosialis Lim Huan Boon4,96342.84
People's Action Party Sellappa Ramaswamy4,52039.02
United People's Party Poon Weng Ying1,1299.75
Singapore Alliance Party Shums Tung Tao Chang7406.39
IndependentNgon Eng Kok2322.00
Bukit Panjang 12,997 Barisan Sosialis Ong Lian Teng5,67946.45
People's Action Party Lee Khoon Choy 4,94040.41
Singapore Alliance Party Loo Bah Chit9998.17
United People's Party Thuan Paik Phok6074.97
Bukit Timah 12,502 Barisan Sosialis Lee Tee Tong6,17352.39
People's Action Party Chor Yeok Eng 4,98242.28
United People's Party Ong Tiong Kuan6285.33
Cairnhill 12,340 People's Action Party Lim Kim San 7,74966.46
Barisan Sosialis Lim Ang Chuan2,44320.95
Singapore Alliance Party Lee Ah Seong1,46712.59
Changi 11,866 People's Action Party Sim Boon Woo4,80842.78
Barisan Sosialis Siek Shing Min3,42530.48
Singapore Alliance Party Dato Syed Esa1,97517.57
United People's Party Abdullah Masood9358.32
IndependentM. N. Yahya950.85
Chua Chu Kang 8,198 Barisan Sosialis Chio Cheng Thun3,75348.59
People's Action Party Lim Kim Hian2,42931.45
United People's Party Sim Chit Giak80010.36
Singapore Alliance Party Neo Guan Choo3965.13
IndependentGoh Tong Liang3454.47
Crawford 10,949 Barisan Sosialis T. Bani4,40042.75
People's Action Party K. M. Byrne4,20740.88
United People's Party Lau Tok Keong1,03210.03
Singapore Alliance Party S. A. Hsieh5715.55
Workers' Party Goh Tong Liang810.79
Delta 14,037 People's Action Party Chan Choy Siong 5,41740.53
Barisan Sosialis Wee Toon Lip5,35440.07
United People's Party Chen Chia Kuang2,23316.71
IndependentWong Kui Yu3592.69
Farrer Park 10,189 People's Action Party S. Rajoo5,36555.71
Barisan Sosialis Lee Chin Siang2,61927.20
Singapore Alliance Party Arumugam Ponnu Rajah 1,23212.79
United People's Party Wee Kia Eng4144.30
Geylang East 16,014 People's Action Party Ho Cheng Choon7,16547.28
Barisan Sosialis Phua Soon Lian5,38935.56
Singapore Alliance Party Ng Cheng Chwee1,4679.68
United People's Party Tan Peng Seah1,1347.48
Geylang Serai 15,302 People's Action Party Rahamat bin Kenap6,72248.01
Singapore Alliance Party Ahmad b. Hj. Taff5,01935.85
Pan-Malayan Islamic Party M. Taha Suhaimi1,2018.58
IndependentDarus Shariff1,0597.56
Geylang West 15,386 People's Action Party Yong Nyuk Lin 6,28843.63
Barisan Sosialis Un Hon Kun5,67039.34
United People's Party Kum Teng Hock1,54110.69
Singapore Alliance Party Mohd. B. Hj. Yacob9146.34
Havelock 15,159 Barisan Sosialis Loh Miaw Gong 6,30444.05
People's Action Party Wong Chun Choi4,15729.05
United People's Party Ng Chee Sen3,20922.42
Singapore Alliance Party Lim Ser Puan6414.48
Hong Lim 12,003 United People's Party Ong Eng Guan 5,06644.47
People's Action Party Seah Mui Kok3,78933.27
Barisan Sosialis Lim Chien Sen2,34420.58
Singapore Alliance Party Sam Tai Guan1911.68
Jalan Besar 13,764 People's Action Party Chan Chee Seng6,68651.87
Barisan Sosialis Ng Ngeong Yew5,17240.12
United People's Party Yong Wan Kit1,0338.01
Jalan Kayu 9,164 Barisan Sosialis Tan Cheng Tong3,31238.04
People's Action Party Teo Hup Teck2,67630.73
United People's Party Lui Boon Phor1,14613.16
Singapore Alliance Party M. P. D. Nair1,05712.14
IndependentOng Yu Thoh5165.93
Joo Chiat 14,966 People's Action Party Fong Kim Heng9,30065.88
Barisan Sosialis Leong Keng Seng3,73726.48
Singapore Alliance Party Seow Peck Leng 1,0787.64
Jurong 7,611 Barisan Sosialis Chia Thye Poh 3,97355.85
People's Action Party Ong Soo Chuan2,26831.89
United People's Party Soh U Loh5017.04
Singapore Alliance Party Wong Tuck Leong3715.22
Kallang 16,974 People's Action Party Buang bin Omar Junid8,47952.21
Barisan Sosialis P. Oorjitham5,21532.11
United People's Party Mohd. Shariff B. D.1,1667.18
Singapore Alliance Party Tan Hock Lim9695.97
IndependentTan Hai Tong4112.53
Kampong Glam 10,186 People's Action Party S. Rajaratnam 4,31344.79
Barisan Sosialis Tan Jing Quee4,09342.50
United People's Party Harbans Singh1,22412.71
Kampong Kapor 11,672 People's Action Party M. Awang4,55441.93
Barisan Sosialis Lim Hock Thiam4,15538.27
United People's Party Nalliah Karuppiah1,14310.53
Singapore Alliance Party Chia Ban Wei1,0069.27
Kampong Kembangan 15,787 People's Action Party Ariff B. Suradi Mohamed7,12748.31
Singapore Alliance Party Ali Alwi3,69225.03
Partai Rakyat Saleha Binte Md. Shah2,67418.13
United People's Party Ibrahim B. Jaffar9146.20
Pan-Malayan Islamic Party Mohd. Dali B. Muin3442.33
Kreta Ayer 13,103 People's Action Party Goh Keng Swee 8,05965.47
Barisan Sosialis Lau Peter3,64629.62
United People's Party Loke Wan6044.91
Moulmein 10,670 People's Action Party Avadai Dhanam Lakshimi-Devan Nair5,85658.00
Barisan Sosialis Tann Wee Tiong3,05130.22
United People's Party Neo Hay Chan5755.69
Singapore Alliance Party Koh Chiat Lim5425.37
IndependentSoo Tho Siu Hee730.72
Mountbatten 16,843 People's Action Party Ng Yeow Chong7,75148.97
Barisan Sosialis Fung Yin Ching5,15832.59
Singapore Alliance Party Lee Kim Chuan1,86511.78
Independent Felice Leon-Soh 1,0536.66
Nee Soon 10,064 Barisan Sosialis Chan Sun Wing4,91451.33
People's Action Party How Kang Yong3,32934.77
United People's Party Goh Soo Ming8649.02
Singapore Alliance Party Yeo Teo Bok3643.80
IndependentLim Siak Guan1031.08
Pasir Panjang 6,721 People's Action Party Othman Wok 2,87945.30
Barisan Sosialis Tay Cheng Kang1,88729.69
Singapore Alliance Party Ahmad bin Rahmat1,35121.26
United People's Party Yong Ah Kau2383.75
Paya Lebar 13,544 Barisan Sosialis Kow Kee Seng6,15247.96
People's Action Party Tan Kia Gan5,40242.11
United People's Party Yeo Keng Wee8586.69
Singapore Alliance Party Goh Yeow Dek4153.24
Punggol 10,294 People's Action Party Ng Kah Ting 4,72147.76
Barisan Sosialis Koh Chit Kiang2,86028.93
Singapore Alliance Party Tan Jin Hong1,32013.35
United People's Party Lee Jiak Seck9849.96
Queenstown 16,133 People's Action Party Jek Yeun Thong 8,16552.81
Barisan Sosialis Lee Ek Chong5,58936.15
United People's Party Ng Ho9095.88
Singapore Alliance Party Lee Khee Loong7985.16
River Valley 10,532 People's Action Party Lim Cheng Lock5,59756.67
Barisan Sosialis Goh Lam San2,66827.01
Singapore Alliance Party Yap Pheng Geck1,15611.71
United People's Party Chung Kit Wong4554.61
Rochore 11,698 People's Action Party Toh Chin Chye 5,01545.56
Barisan Sosialis Lee Siew Choh 4,92644.75
United People's Party Pan Tiek Tai1,0679.69
Sembawang 9,329 People's Action Party Teong Eng Siong3,74542.17
Barisan Sosialis Chen Poh Chang3,59140.43
Singapore Alliance Party Appavoo P.1,19713.48
United People's Party Low Seng Wan3483.92
Sepoy Lines 10,046 People's Action Party Wee Toon Boon4,90752.25
Barisan Sosialis Ong Chang Sam3,14733.51
Singapore Alliance Party Goh Su Chiang7938.44
United People's Party Tan Choon Sing5455.80
Serangoon Gardens 8,765 People's Action Party R. A. Gonzales4,45653.40
Barisan Sosialis Ng Hui Sim2,69832.33
United People's Party Ng Teo Joo7368.82
Singapore Alliance Party Choy Kok Wah4555.45
Siglap 15,915 People's Action Party Abdul Rahim Ishak 9,34262.12
Partai Rakyat Tay Check Yaw2,61817.41
Singapore Alliance Party Soo Ban Hoe1,4889.89
United People's Party Ong Jin Teck1,3659.08
IndependentKoh Tee Kin2251.50
Southern Islands 5,236 People's Action Party Yaacob bin Mohamed2,76455.41
Singapore Alliance Party Ahmad Jabri b. Akib2,22444.59
Stamford 11,628 People's Action Party Fong Sip Chee 5,78153.27
Barisan Sosialis Teo Hock Guan3,71934.27
United People's Party Lim Chung Min7717.10
Singapore Alliance Party Lal Behari Singh5825.36
Tampines 13,137 Barisan Sosialis Poh Ber Liak5,97648.33
People's Action Party Goh Chew Chua3,60129.13
United People's Party Liam Tian Seng2,13017.23
Singapore Alliance Party Lim Jew Kan6565.31
Tanglin 9,239 People's Action Party E. W. Barker 4,42451.07
Barisan Sosialis Tan Cheow Hock1,99723.06
Singapore Alliance Party Thio Chan Bee1,73820.07
United People's Party Eng Chau Sam3363.88
IndependentAriffin b. Md Said1661.92
Tanjong Pagar 11,395 People's Action Party Lee Kuan Yew 6,31758.93
Barisan Sosialis Ong Hock Siang3,53732.99
United People's Party Lim Peng Kang4734.41
Singapore Alliance Party Chng Boon Eng3933.67
Telok Ayer 13,219 People's Action Party Ong Pang Boon 5,39044.01
Barisan Sosialis Lam Chit Lee4,98740.72
United People's Party Goh Hong Keng1,48412.12
IndependentWang Chung Kwang3853.15
Telok Blangah 13,263 People's Action Party Bernard Rodrigues 4,94939.82
Barisan Sosialis Jukri b. Parjo4,32734.82
Singapore Alliance Party Abdul Rahman2,62721.14
United People's Party Tan Swee Huat5254.22
Thomson 11,336 Barisan Sosialis Koo Young5,29249.17
People's Action Party Leo Keng Fong4,24839.47
United People's Party Loo Ka Thiam1,22311.36
Tiong Bahru 12,534 People's Action Party Lee Teck Him5,73148.15
Barisan Sosialis Soon Dit Woo3,79831.91
United People's Party Ng Teng Kian1,0889.14
IndependentWilliam Tan7776.53
Singapore Alliance Party Tan Kok Siong5084.27
Toa Payoh 13,394 Barisan Sosialis Wong Soon Fong6,08348.20
People's Action Party Yip Sai Weng4,27633.88
United People's Party Goh Nee Kim1,50111.89
United Democratic PartyTan Chor Yong7606.03
Ulu Pandan 11,866 People's Action Party Chow Chiok Hock5,00044.86
Partai Rakyat Johari bin Sonto2,96726.62
Singapore Alliance Party Anang b. H. A. Manan1,72915.51
United People's Party Ler Chin Tee1,45013.01
Upper Serangoon 12,433 People's Action Party Sia Kah Hui6,65056.56
Barisan Sosialis Chia Yang Loong3,54730.17
United People's Party Phua Gek Boon5955.06
IndependentLim Choon Mong5734.87
Singapore Alliance Party Wu Moh Chye3933.34
Source: ELD, Singapore Elections

Aftermath

Analysis of the election suggested that reasons for the PAP victory included: [2]

To discourage future defections, the PAP government passed a constitutional amendment stipulating that legislators who resign or are expelled from the parties they were elected under would lose their seats. As a result, by-elections were subsequently held in Hong Lim in 1965, seven constituencies in 1966 and five constituencies in 1967. Those victories resulted PAP in achieving a parliament monopoly that would last for the next 15 years until the first elected opposition MP in 1981. The changes during the 1963–1968 parliamentary term remain the biggest turnover of MPs in post-independence Singapore.

The distribution of 15 Singapore seats in Malaysia's lower house of Parliament (Dewan Rakyat) was based on the outcome of the election. PAP was allocated 12, which were given to Prime Minister Lee, Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye, ministers Goh Keng Swee, Ong Pang Boon, S. Rajaratnam, Yong Nyuk Lin, Jek Yeun Thong, Lim Kim San, Othman Wok and assembly members Abdul Rahim Ishak, Wee Toon Boon and Ho See Beng. BS was allocated 3: Chia Thye Poh, Lim Huan Boon and Kow Kee Seng. [3] [4]

See also

References

  1. Lau, Albert (1998). A Moment of Anguish: Singapore in Malaysia and the Politics of Disengagement. Singapore: Times Academic Press. ISBN   981-210-1349.
  2. Sonny Yap; Richard Lim; Leong Weng Kam (2010). Men in White: The Untold Story of Singapore's Ruling Political Party. Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings.
  3. "LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY GENERAL ELECTION 1963". Singapore Elections. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  4. "PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DEWAN RA'AYAT (HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES) OFFICIAL REPORT" (PDF). Dewan Rakyat . Retrieved 19 August 2019.