1963 Singaporean general election
General elections were held in Singapore on 21 September 1963. The elections saw the Malaysian ruling party, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), backed with Singapore Alliance Party (SAP) in an attempt to oust the People's Action Party (PAP), after violating previous agreement not to do so and a highlight in the relations between UMNO and the PAP. However, the result was a victory for the PAP, which won 37 of the 51 seats in the Singapore Legislative Assembly. The 1963 election was the only election to date with no boundary changes to any of the 51 existing constituencies.
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All 51 seats in the Legislative Assembly 26 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 587,433 (95.1%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Singapore |
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As Singapore gained independence in 1965, this election was the only election that was 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.
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, 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, but five days later, PAP lost its majority again 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 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 September | Dissolution of 2nd Legislative Assembly |
12 September | Nomination Day |
21 September | Polling day |
22 October | Opening of 3rd Legislative Assembly |
Campaign
The elections, held in the midst of Singapore's merger with Malaysia, are remembered as the PAP's most hard-fought election, as the party fielded a full slate and faced intensive challenges from three components that did nearly the same. BS collated with Parti Rakyat, and fielded candidates in all but two seats, while UPP had an unusual 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 lost their re-election on the election, 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.
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
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People's Action Party | 272,924 | 46.93 | 37 | –6 | |
Barisan Sosialis | 193,301 | 33.24 | 13 | New | |
Singapore Alliance | 48,967 | 8.42 | 0 | –3 | |
United People's Party | 48,785 | 8.39 | 1 | New | |
Partai Rakyat | 8,259 | 1.42 | 0 | 0 | |
Pan-Malayan Islamic Party | 1,545 | 0.27 | 0 | 0 | |
United Democratic Party | 760 | 0.13 | 0 | New | |
Workers' Party | 286 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | |
Independents | 6,788 | 1.17 | 0 | –1 | |
Total | 581,615 | 100.00 | 51 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 581,615 | 99.01 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 5,818 | 0.99 | |||
Total votes | 587,433 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 617,450 | 95.14 | |||
Source: Singapore Elections |
By constituency
Constituency | Electorate | Turnout | % | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Aljunied | 16,152 | 15,347 | 95.02 | ![]() |
S. V. Lingam | 7,745 | 50.90 | |
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Thio Kheng Lock | 4,624 | 30.39 | |||||
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Lim Koon Teck | 1,681 | 11.05 | |||||
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Woo Kong Seng | 1,165 | 7.66 | |||||
Anson | 9,192 | 8,506 | 92.54 | ![]() |
P. Govindasamy | 3,957 | 46.90 | |
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Chan Chong Keen | 3,123 | 37.02 | |||||
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A. K. Isaac | 543 | 6.44 | |||||
Independent | David Marshall | 416 | 4.93 | |||||
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Vythalingam V. | 306 | 3.63 | |||||
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Chiang Seok Keong | 91 | 1.08 | |||||
Bras Basah | 10,678 | 9,601 | 89.91 | ![]() |
Ho See Beng | 4,926 | 51.80 | |
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Leong Kwan Fai | 3,831 | 40.28 | |||||
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Pan Cheng Luan | 335 | 3.52 | |||||
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Wong Chin Sen | 304 | 3.20 | |||||
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Chua Chin Kiat | 114 | 1.20 | |||||
Bukit Merah | 12,225 | 11,694 | 95.66 | ![]() |
Lim Huan Boon | 4,963 | 42.84 | |
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Sellappa Ramaswamy | 4,520 | 39.02 | |||||
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Poon Weng Ying | 1,129 | 9.75 | |||||
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Shums Tung Tao Chang | 740 | 6.39 | |||||
Independent | Ngon Eng Kok | 232 | 2.00 | |||||
Bukit Panjang | 12,997 | 12,357 | 95.08 | ![]() |
Ong Lian Teng | 5,679 | 46.45 | |
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Lee Khoon Choy | 4,940 | 40.41 | |||||
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Loo Bah Chit | 999 | 8.17 | |||||
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Thuan Paik Phok | 607 | 4.97 | |||||
Bukit Timah | 12,502 | 11,935 | 95.46 | ![]() |
Lee Tee Tong | 6,173 | 52.39 | |
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Chor Yeok Eng | 4,982 | 42.28 | |||||
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Ong Tiong Kuan | 628 | 5.33 | |||||
Cairnhill | 12,340 | 11,751 | 95.23 | ![]() |
Lim Kim San | 7,749 | 66.46 | |
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Lim Ang Chuan | 2,443 | 20.95 | |||||
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Lee Ah Seong | 1,467 | 12.59 | |||||
Changi | 11,866 | 11,343 | 95.59 | ![]() |
Sim Boon Woo | 4,808 | 42.78 | |
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Siek Shing Min | 3,425 | 30.48 | |||||
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Dato Syed Esa | 1,975 | 17.57 | |||||
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Abdullah Masood | 935 | 8.32 | |||||
Independent | M. N. Yahya | 95 | 0.85 | |||||
Chua Chu Kang | 8,198 | 7,799 | 95.13 | ![]() |
Chio Cheng Thun | 3,753 | 48.59 | |
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Lim Kim Hian | 2,429 | 31.45 | |||||
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Sim Chit Giak | 800 | 10.36 | |||||
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Neo Guan Choo | 396 | 5.13 | |||||
Independent | Goh Tong Liang | 345 | 4.47 | |||||
Crawford | 10,949 | 10,401 | 94.99 | ![]() |
T. Bani | 4,400 | 42.75 | |
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K. M. Byrne | 4,207 | 40.88 | |||||
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Lau Tok Keong | 1,032 | 10.03 | |||||
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S. A. Hsieh | 571 | 5.55 | |||||
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Goh Tong Liang | 81 | 0.79 | |||||
Delta | 14,037 | 13,475 | 96.00 | ![]() |
Chan Choy Siong | 5,417 | 40.53 | |
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Wee Toon Lip | 5,354 | 40.07 | |||||
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Chen Chia Kuang | 2,233 | 16.71 | |||||
Independent | Wong Kui Yu | 359 | 2.69 | |||||
Farrer Park | 10,189 | 9,704 | 95.24 | ![]() |
S. Rajoo | 5,365 | 55.71 | |
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Lee Chin Siang | 2,619 | 27.20 | |||||
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A. P. Rajah | 1,232 | 12.79 | |||||
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Wee Kia Eng | 414 | 4.30 | |||||
Geylang East | 16,014 | 15,302 | 95.55 | ![]() |
Ho Cheng Choon | 7,165 | 47.28 | |
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Phua Soon Lian | 5,389 | 35.56 | |||||
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Ng Cheng Chwee | 1,467 | 9.68 | |||||
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Tan Peng Seah | 1,134 | 7.48 | |||||
Geylang Serai | 15,302 | 14,424 | 94.26 | ![]() |
Rahamat bin Kenap | 6,722 | 48.01 | |
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Ahmad b. Hj. Taff | 5,019 | 35.85 | |||||
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M. Taha Suhaimi | 1,201 | 8.58 | |||||
Independent | Darus Shariff | 1,059 | 7.56 | |||||
Geylang West | 15,386 | 14,575 | 94.73 | ![]() |
Yong Nyuk Lin | 6,288 | 43.63 | |
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Un Hon Kun | 5,670 | 39.34 | |||||
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Kum Teng Hock | 1,541 | 10.69 | |||||
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Mohd. B. Hj. Yacob | 914 | 6.34 | |||||
Havelock | 15,159 | 14,487 | 95.57 | ![]() |
Loh Miaw Gong | 6,304 | 44.05 | |
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Wong Chun Choi | 4,157 | 29.05 | |||||
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Ng Chee Sen | 3,209 | 22.42 | |||||
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Lim Ser Puan | 641 | 4.48 | |||||
Hong Lim | 12,003 | 11,463 | 95.50 | ![]() |
Ong Eng Guan | 5,066 | 44.47 | |
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Seah Mui Kok | 3,789 | 33.27 | |||||
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Lim Chien Sen | 2,344 | 20.58 | |||||
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Sam Tai Guan | 191 | 1.68 | |||||
Jalan Besar | 13,764 | 13,092 | 95.12 | ![]() |
Chan Chee Seng | 6,686 | 51.87 | |
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Ng Ngeong Yew | 5,172 | 40.12 | |||||
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Yong Wan Kit | 1,033 | 8.01 | |||||
Jalan Kayu | 9,164 | 8,768 | 95.68 | ![]() |
Tan Cheng Tong | 3,312 | 38.04 | |
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Teo Hup Teck | 2,676 | 30.73 | |||||
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Lui Boon Phor | 1,146 | 13.16 | |||||
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M. P. D. Nair | 1,057 | 12.14 | |||||
Independent | Ong Yu Thoh | 516 | 5.93 | |||||
Joo Chiat | 14,966 | 14,214 | 94.98 | ![]() |
Fong Kim Heng | 9,300 | 65.88 | |
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Leong Keng Seng | 3,737 | 26.48 | |||||
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Seow Peck Leng | 1,078 | 7.64 | |||||
Jurong | 7,611 | 7,204 | 94.65 | ![]() |
Chia Thye Poh | 3,973 | 55.85 | |
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Ong Soo Chuan | 2,268 | 31.89 | |||||
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Soh U Loh | 501 | 7.04 | |||||
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Wong Tuck Leong | 371 | 5.22 | |||||
Kallang | 16,974 | 16,391 | 96.57 | ![]() |
Buang bin Omar Junid | 8,479 | 52.21 | |
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P. Oorjitham | 5,215 | 32.11 | |||||
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Mohd. Shariff B. D. | 1,166 | 7.18 | |||||
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Tan Hock Lim | 969 | 5.97 | |||||
Independent | Tan Hai Tong | 411 | 2.53 | |||||
Kampong Glam | 10,186 | 9,738 | 95.60 | ![]() |
S. Rajaratnam | 4,313 | 44.79 | |
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Tan Jing Quee | 4,093 | 42.50 | |||||
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Harbans Singh | 1,224 | 12.71 | |||||
Kampong Kapor | 11,672 | 11,024 | 94.45 | ![]() |
M. Awang | 4,554 | 41.93 | |
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Lim Hock Thiam | 4,155 | 38.27 | |||||
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Nalliah Karuppiah | 1,143 | 10.53 | |||||
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Chia Ban Wei | 1,006 | 9.27 | |||||
Kampong Kembangan | 15,787 | 14,914 | 94.47 | ![]() |
Ariff B. Suradi Mohamed | 7,127 | 48.31 | |
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Ali Alwi | 3,692 | 25.03 | |||||
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Saleha Binte Md. Shah | 2,674 | 18.13 | |||||
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Ibrahim B. Jaffar | 914 | 6.20 | |||||
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Mohd. Dali B. Muin | 344 | 2.33 | |||||
Kreta Ayer | 13,103 | 12,475 | 95.21 | ![]() |
Goh Keng Swee | 8,059 | 65.47 | |
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Lau Peter | 3,646 | 29.62 | |||||
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Loke Wan | 604 | 4.91 | |||||
Moulmein | 10,670 | 10,176 | 95.37 | ![]() |
Avadai Dhanam Lakshimi-Devan Nair | 5,856 | 58.00 | |
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Tann Wee Tiong | 3,051 | 30.22 | |||||
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Neo Hay Chan | 575 | 5.69 | |||||
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Koh Chiat Lim | 542 | 5.37 | |||||
Independent | Soo Tho Siu Hee | 73 | 0.72 | |||||
Mountbatten | 16,843 | 15,969 | 94.81 | ![]() |
Ng Yeow Chong | 7,751 | 48.97 | |
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Fung Yin Ching | 5,158 | 32.59 | |||||
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Lee Kim Chuan | 1,865 | 11.78 | |||||
Independent | Felice Leon-Soh | 1,053 | 6.66 | |||||
Nee Soon | 10,064 | 9,671 | 96.09 | ![]() |
Chan Sun Wing | 4,914 | 51.33 | |
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How Kang Yong | 3,329 | 34.77 | |||||
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Goh Soo Ming | 864 | 9.02 | |||||
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Yeo Teo Bok | 364 | 3.80 | |||||
Independent | Lim Siak Guan | 103 | 1.08 | |||||
Pasir Panjang | 6,721 | 6,409 | 95.36 | ![]() |
Othman bin Wok | 2,879 | 45.30 | |
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Tay Cheng Kang | 1,887 | 29.69 | |||||
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Ahmad bin Rahmat | 1,351 | 21.26 | |||||
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Yong Ah Kau | 238 | 3.75 | |||||
Paya Lebar | 13,544 | 12,946 | 95.58 | ![]() |
Kow Kee Seng | 6,152 | 47.96 | |
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Tan Kia Gan | 5,402 | 42.11 | |||||
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Yeo Keng Wee | 858 | 6.69 | |||||
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Goh Yeow Dek | 415 | 3.24 | |||||
Punggol | 10,294 | 9,944 | 96.60 | ![]() |
Ng Kah Ting | 4,721 | 47.76 | |
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Koh Chit Kiang | 2,860 | 28.93 | |||||
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Tan Jin Hong | 1,320 | 13.35 | |||||
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Lee Jiak Seck | 984 | 9.96 | |||||
Queenstown | 16,133 | 15,588 | 96.62 | ![]() |
Jek Yeun Thong | 8,165 | 52.81 | |
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Lee Ek Chong | 5,589 | 36.15 | |||||
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Ng Ho | 909 | 5.88 | |||||
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Lee Khee Loong | 798 | 5.16 | |||||
River Valley | 10,532 | 9,980 | 94.76 | ![]() |
Lim Cheng Lock | 5,597 | 56.67 | |
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Goh Lam San | 2,668 | 27.01 | |||||
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Yap Pheng Geck | 1,156 | 11.71 | |||||
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Chung Kit Wong | 455 | 4.61 | |||||
Rochore | 11,698 | 11,117 | 95.03 | ![]() |
Toh Chin Chye | 5,015 | 45.56 | |
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Lee Siew Choh | 4,926 | 44.75 | |||||
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Pan Tiek Tai | 1,067 | 9.69 | |||||
Sembawang | 9,329 | 8,930 | 95.72 | ![]() |
Teong Eng Siong | 3,745 | 42.17 | |
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Chen Poh Chang | 3,591 | 40.43 | |||||
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Appavoo P. | 1,197 | 13.48 | |||||
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Low Seng Wan | 348 | 3.92 | |||||
Sepoy Lines | 10,046 | 9,473 | 94.30 | ![]() |
Wee Toon Boon | 4,907 | 52.25 | |
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Ong Chang Sam | 3,147 | 33.51 | |||||
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Goh Su Chiang | 793 | 8.44 | |||||
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Tan Choon Sing | 545 | 5.80 | |||||
Serangoon Gardens | 8,765 | 8,416 | 96.02 | ![]() |
R. A. Gonzales | 4,456 | 53.40 | |
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Ng Hui Sim | 2,698 | 32.33 | |||||
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Ng Teo Joo | 736 | 8.82 | |||||
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Choy Kok Wah | 455 | 5.45 | |||||
Siglap | 15,915 | 15,128 | 95.05 | ![]() |
Abdul Rahim Ishak | 9,342 | 62.12 | |
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Tay Check Yaw | 2,618 | 17.41 | |||||
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Soo Ban Hoe | 1,488 | 9.89 | |||||
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Ong Jin Teck | 1,365 | 9.08 | |||||
Independent | Koh Tee Kin | 225 | 1.50 | |||||
Southern Islands | 5,236 | 5,048 | 96.41 | ![]() |
Yaacob bin Mohamed | 2,764 | 55.41 | |
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Ahmad Jabri b. Akib | 2,224 | 44.59 | |||||
Stamford | 11,628 | 10,882 | 93.58 | ![]() |
Fong Sip Chee | 5,781 | 53.27 | |
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Teo Hock Guan | 3,719 | 34.27 | |||||
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Lim Chung Min | 771 | 7.10 | |||||
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Lal Behari Singh | 582 | 5.36 | |||||
Tampines | 13,137 | 12,486 | 95.04 | ![]() |
Poh Ber Liak | 5,976 | 48.33 | |
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Goh Chew Chua | 3,601 | 29.13 | |||||
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Liam Tian Seng | 2,130 | 17.23 | |||||
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Lim Jew Kan | 656 | 5.31 | |||||
Tanglin | 9,239 | 8,731 | 94.50 | ![]() |
Edmund W. Barker | 4,424 | 51.07 | |
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Tan Cheow Hock | 1,997 | 23.06 | |||||
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Thio Chan Bee | 1,738 | 20.07 | |||||
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Eng Chau Sam | 336 | 3.88 | |||||
Independent | Ariffin b. Md Said | 166 | 1.92 | |||||
Tanjong Pagar | 11,395 | 10,841 | 95.14 | ![]() |
Lee Kuan Yew | 6,317 | 58.93 | |
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Ong Hock Siang | 3,537 | 32.99 | |||||
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Lim Peng Kang | 473 | 4.41 | |||||
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Chng Boon Eng | 393 | 3.67 | |||||
Telok Ayer | 13,219 | 12,398 | 93.79 | ![]() |
Ong Pang Boon | 5,390 | 44.01 | |
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Lam Chit Lee | 4,987 | 40.72 | |||||
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Goh Hong Keng | 1,484 | 12.12 | |||||
Independent | Wang Chung Kwang | 385 | 3.15 | |||||
Telok Blangah | 13,263 | 12,551 | 94.63 | ![]() |
Bernard Rodrigues | 4,949 | 39.82 | |
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Jukri b. Parjo | 4,327 | 34.82 | |||||
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Abdul Rahman | 2,627 | 21.14 | |||||
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Tan Swee Huat | 525 | 4.22 | |||||
Thomson | 11,336 | 10,882 | 96.00 | ![]() |
Koo Young | 5,292 | 49.17 | |
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Leo Keng Fong | 4,248 | 39.47 | |||||
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Loo Ka Thiam | 1,223 | 11.36 | |||||
Tiong Bahru | 12,534 | 11,986 | 95.63 | ![]() |
Lee Teck Him | 5,731 | 48.15 | |
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Soon Dit Woo | 3,798 | 31.91 | |||||
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Ng Teng Kian | 1,088 | 9.14 | |||||
Independent | William Tan | 777 | 6.53 | |||||
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Tan Kok Siong | 508 | 4.27 | |||||
Toa Payoh | 13,394 | 12,772 | 95.36 | ![]() |
Wong Soon Fong | 6,083 | 48.20 | |
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Yip Sai Weng | 4,276 | 33.88 | |||||
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Goh Nee Kim | 1,501 | 11.89 | |||||
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Tan Chor Yong | 760 | 6.03 | |||||
Ulu Pandan | 11,866 | 11,272 | 94.99 | ![]() |
Chow Chiok Hock | 5,000 | 44.86 | |
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Johari bin Sonto | 2,967 | 26.62 | |||||
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Anang b. H. A. Manan | 1,729 | 15.51 | |||||
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Ler Chin Tee | 1,450 | 13.01 | |||||
Upper Serangoon | 12,433 | 11,853 | 95.33 | ![]() |
Sia Kah Hui | 6,650 | 56.56 | |
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Chia Yang Loong | 3,547 | 30.17 | |||||
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Phua Gek Boon | 595 | 5.06 | |||||
Independent | Lim Choon Mong | 573 | 4.87 | |||||
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Wu Moh Chye | 393 | 3.34 | |||||
Source: ELD, Singapore Elections |
Aftermath
Many cited factors that led to the PAP victory include:[2]
- The PAP's eleventh hour warning to voters that Malaysia would send troops into Singapore and invoke emergency powers in place of the incoming the Barisan government;
- A strong support among voters for Singapore's merger with Malaya, which was perceived to be jeopardised should Barisan win the election due to its opposition to merger;
- English-educated middle classes fearful of communism tactically voting for PAP following the split of the leftists away from the party.
- Barisan's support for Indonesia and the Communist Party of Indonesia's oppositions to the formation of Malaysia, especially when Indonesia had declared Konfrontasi and begun provocative military manoeuvres in Borneo in the lead up to the election;
- Policies introduced by the government such as building of 26,000 Housing and Development Board flats, reduction in unemployment rate and investment in public services from 1959 to 1963.
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 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]
References
- Lau, Albert (1998). A Moment of Anguish: Singapore in Malaysia and the Politics of Disengagement. Singapore: Times Academic Press. ISBN 981-210-1349.
- Sonny Yap; Richard Lim; Leong Weng Kam (2010). Men in White: The Untold Story of Singapore's Ruling Political Party. Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings.
- "LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY GENERAL ELECTION 1963". Singapore Elections. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- "PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DEWAN RA'AYAT (HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES) OFFICIAL REPORT" (PDF). Dewan Rakyat. Retrieved 19 August 2019.