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1972 Singaporean general election

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1972 Singaporean general election
← 1968 2 September 1972 1976 →
All 65 seats to the Parliament of Singapore
33 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout93.5%
  First party
 
Leader Lee Kuan Yew
Party PAP
Leader's seat Tanjong Pagar SMC
Last election 58 seats, 86.7%
Seats before 58
Seats won 65
Seat change Increase7
Popular vote 524,892
Percentage 70.4%
Swing Decrease16.3%
Winning party by constituency.
This article is part of a series on
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General elections were held in Singapore on 2 September 1972. The result was a fourth victory for the People's Action Party, which won all 65 seats, the second of four consecutive elections in which they repeated the feat. Voter turnout was 93.5% in the 57 constituencies (which represented 812,926 voters) that were contested,[1] with PAP candidates elected unopposed in the other eight, which represents 95,456 voters.[2]

Electoral system

See also: List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1972–76)

The 65 members of Parliament were elected in 65 single-member constituencies, an increase from 58 in the 1968 elections. Like the previous elections, boundaries and constituencies were carved due to development or population; the newly added constituencies were:

Constituency Changes
New Constituencies
Boon Teck
Kim Keat
Kuo Chuan		 Carved from Toa Payoh
Bukit Batok Carved from Bukit Panjang, Bukit Timah and Choa Chu Kang
Henderson Carved from Tiong Bahru
Kim Seng Carved from Bukit Ho Swee and Delta
Leng Kee Carved from Bukit Merah

Timeline

Date Event
16 August Dissolution of 2nd Parliament
23 August Nomination Day
2 September Polling Day
12 October Opening of 3rd Parliament

Campaign

Unlike the previous elections in 1968, which saw the PAP returning to power after nomination day due to low number of contests (seven out of 58 seats), this election saw contests in all but eight seats. Barisan Sosialis renounced its boycott strategy and attempted to make a comeback, while the Workers' Party saw its rejuvenation with the introduction of its new secretary-general, also lawyer and former district judge, J. B. Jeyaretnam (who would later become the inaugural opposition Member of Parliament in 1981); former leader and ex-Chief Minister David Marshall contemplated standing as an independent, but ultimately did not run due to a stingray wound. PAP candidate and architect Ong Teng Cheong, who made his debut in the election, would later serve as a Deputy Prime Minister and also the first-elected (and fifth) President of Singapore.

Describing the alternative opposition parties as having lost their credibility with swerving political manoeuvres, coupled with Singapore's strong economic progress and successful housing development, the PAP declared that Singaporeans no longer saw need for political diversity, claiming that this led to squabbling that would impede its effective governance.

Results

Despite expectations that the PAP would not coast to victory and Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew even anticipating that the PAP winning around 45 seats would be a convincing victory, the PAP still managed to capture every seat in Parliament for the second time.

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
People's Action Party524,89270.4365+7
Workers' Party90,88512.2000
United National Front55,0017.380New
Barisan Sosialis34,4834.630New
People's Front22,4623.010New
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura10,0541.350New
Independents7,4621.0000
Total745,239100.0065+7
Valid votes745,23998.00
Invalid/blank votes15,2292.00
Total votes760,468100.00
Registered voters/turnout908,38293.55
Source: Nohlen et al., Singapore Elections[a]

By constituency

Constituency Electorate Turnout % Party Candidates Votes %
Alexandra 24,499 23,446 95.70 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Wong Lin Ken 17,965 77.52
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Wong Kui Yu 3,782 16.32
Template:SG/UNF S.A. Hamid 1,427 6.16
Aljunied 19,278 18,251 94.67 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Chin Harn Tong 12,861 71.51
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Lim Kang Chew 4,360 24.25
Template:SG/UNF Amir Ali bin Mohamed 762 4.24
Anson 8,171 6,899 84.43 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Perumal Govindaswamy 5,027 74.34
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Tay Kim Oh 1,291 19.09
Template:SG/UNF Paul C. Kunjuraman 444 6.57
Boon Teck 15,958 15,215 95.34 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Phey Yew Kok 9,947 66.75
bgcolor=Template:People's Front (Singapore)/meta/color| Template:SG/PF Lim Thiam Hock 4,954 33.25
Bras Basah 8,323 No election bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ho See Beng Uncontested walkover
Bukit Batok 14,563 13,623 93.55 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Chai Chong Yii 9,765 73.78
Template:SG/UNF Rengaswamy Vetrivelu 3,471 26.22
Bukit Ho Swee 12,212 11,626 95.20 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Seah Mui Kok 7,862 68.77
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Chin Tian Choo 2,209 19.32
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Wee Kia Eng 1,361 11.91
Bukit Merah 13,960 13,265 95.02 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Lim Guan Hoo 9,044 69.33
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Kho Jiak Hiong 2,042 15.65
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Said bin Jali 1,958 15.02
Bukit Panjang 15,461 14,410 93.20 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Lee Yiok Seng 9,527 67.65
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Tang Song Khiang 3,496 24.82
Template:SG/UNF Leyu Tan Jib 1,060 7.53
Bukit Timah 15,476 14,598 94.33 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Chor Yeok Eng 9,475 66.78
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Krishnan K. Nair 4,714 33.22
Cairnhill 11,952 10,670 89.28 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Lim Kim San 8,458 80.92
Template:SG/UNF Paul Elisha 1,994 19.08
Changi 18,297 17,159 93.78 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Sim Boon Woo 10,512 62.42
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Normah binte Yahya 4,917 29.20
Template:SG/UNF Omar bin Ninggal 1,412 8.38
Chua Chu Kang 15,669 14,903 95.11 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Tang See Chim 9,002 62.36
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Ng Ah Chue 5,434 37.64
Crawford 9,285 8,524 91.80 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ang Kok Peng 6,040 72.60
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Wu Kher 1,565 18.81
Template:SG/UNF N. M. Abdul Wahid 714 8.59
Delta 13,781 13,142 95.36 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Yeo Choo Kok 9,149 70.72
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Wong Hong Toy 2,186 16.90
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Abdul Rahim bin Abdul Rahman 1,602 12.38
Farrer Park 12,707 11,740 92.39 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Lee Chiaw Meng 8,521 73.82
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam 2,668 23.11
Template:SG/UNF S. A. Latiff 354 3.07
Geylang East 16,580 15,375 92.73 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ho Cheng Choon 9,692 64.24
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Kum Teng Hock 4,951 32.81
Template:SG/UNF Mohamed Elias bin Ibrahim 445 2.95
Geylang Serai 13,837 12,801 92.51 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Rahmat bin Kenap 6,711 53.59
Template:SG/PKMS Ahmad bin Haji Taff 4,978 39.75
Template:SG/UNF Raja Rom bin Raja Jaafar 833 6.66
Geylang West 11,653 10,806 92.73 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Yong Nyuk Lin 7,320 69.28
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Quek Doh Lam 3,246 30.72
Havelock 10,849 10,045 92.59 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Hon Sui Sen 7,151 72.65
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Harbans Singh 2,692 27.35
Henderson 9,431 9,048 95.94 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Lai Tha Chai 6,577 74.43
bgcolor=Template:People's Front (Singapore)/meta/color| Template:SG/PF Wong Wen Nan 2,260 25.57
Hong Lim 7,486 6,700 89.50 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Lee Khoon Choy 4,835 73.79
bgcolor=Template:People's Front (Singapore)/meta/color| Template:SG/PF Wong Kong Hoa 1,717 26.21
Jalan Besar 10,310 9,514 92.28 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Chan Chee Seng 7,794 83.86
Template:SG/UNF Johnnie Ng Kong Wah 1,500 16.14
Jalan Kayu 14,982 14,148 94.43 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Hwang Soo Jin 8,283 59.42
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 5,137 36.86
Template:SG/UNF Ong Seng Kok 518 3.72
Joo Chiat 15,684 14,248 90.84 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Yeoh Ghim Seng 11,669 83.49
Template:SG/UNF William James Cook 2,307 16.51
Jurong 15,348 14,537 94.72 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ho Kah Leong 10,741 76.43
Template:SG/UNF Ng Soon Hee 3,312 23.57
Kallang 17,232 16,217 94.11 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Abdul Aziz bin Karim 12,626 79.75
Template:SG/UNF Sultan Mydin bin Abdul Hamid 3,205 20.25
Kampong Chai Chee 15,564 14,506 93.20 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Sha'ari bin Tadin 7,458 52.39
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Ng Yang Choo 4,188 29.42
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Hashim bin Yadi 2,590 18.19
Kampong Glam 7,542 No election bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Sinnathamby Rajaratnam Uncontested walkover
Kampong Kapor 9,361 8,603 91.90 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Yeo Toon Chia 6,132 73.15
Template:SG/UNF Chng Boon Eng 2,251 26.85
Kampong Kembangan 18,480 17,045 92.23 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Mohamed Ariff bin Suradi 9,671 57.53
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Othman bin Abdullah 5,451 32.43
Template:SG/UNF Kamaruddin bin Hassan 1,687 10.04
Kampong Ubi 15,431 14,366 93.10 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ya'acob bin Mohamed 8,030 56.86
Template:SG/PKMS Abdul Rahman bin Mohamed Zin 5,076 35.94
Template:SG/UNF Darus bin Shariff 1,017 7.20
Katong 16,766 No election bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Joseph Francis De Conceicao Uncontested walkover
Kim Keat 14,640 14,053 95.99 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ong Teng Cheong 10,262 74.00
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Seow Khee Leng 3,022 21.79
Template:SG/UNF Winston J. Paglar 583 4.21
Kim Seng 12,893 12,299 95.39 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ong Leong Boon 8,178 67.74
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Heng Swee Tong 3,895 32.26
Kreta Ayer 9,627 No election bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Goh Keng Swee Uncontested walkover
Kuo Chuan 15,142 14,576 96.26 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Pathmanaban Selvadurai 10,523 73.69
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS P. Manokaran 3,757 26.31
Leng Kee 17,158 16,247 94.69 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ahmad bin Mohamed Mattar 10,929 68.28
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Ng Ho 4,036 25.21
Template:SG/UNF N. Loganathan 1,042 6.51
MacPherson 15,637 14,952 95.62 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Chua Sian Chin 10,117 68.76
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Lee Tow Kiat 4,597 31.24
Moulmein 11,144 10,428 93.58 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Sia Khoon Seong 7,412 72.43
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Cheng Poh Yew 2,822 27.57
Mountbatten 14,396 No election bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ng Yeow Chong Uncontested walkover
Nee Soon 17,061 16,279 95.42 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ong Soo Chuan 11,636 73.29
Template:SG/UNF Yap Fatt Shing 4,240 26.71
Pasir Panjang 13,964 13,104 93.84 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Othman bin Wok 9,209 71.77
Template:SG/UNF Syed Ahmad bin Syed Husain 3,623 28.23
Paya Lebar 19,102 18,311 95.86 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Tay Boon Too 11,073 61.59
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Tan Poh Seng 5,361 29.82
bgcolor=Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color| Independent Kow Kee Seng 1,545 8.59
Potong Pasir 13,103 11,990 91.51 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ivan Cuthbert Baptist 7,772 66.22
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Rajaratnam Murugason 3,391 28.89
Template:SG/UNF Harnek Singh 573 4.89
Punggol 15,303 14,461 94.50 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ng Kah Ting 8,215 58.13
bgcolor=Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color| Independent Ng Teng Kian 5,917 41.87
Queenstown 18,458 17,702 95.90 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Jek Yeun Thong 14,200 81.24
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Chua Eng Huat 2,504 28.89
Template:SG/UNF Lew Ban Huat 775 4.43
River Valley 12,189 No election bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Tan Eng Liang Uncontested walkover
Rochore 11,589 10,552 91.05 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Toh Chin Chye 6,218 60.40
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Lee Siew Choh 4,076 39.60
Sembawang 12,217 11,251 92.09 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Teong Eng Siong 8,466 77.36
Template:SG/UNF Mohd Arif bin Sahul Hameed 2,478 22.64
Sepoy Lines 12,308 11,496 93.40 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Wee Toon Boon 9,160 81.30
Template:SG/UNF Ho Soo Hock 2,107 18.70
Serangoon Gardens 13,836 No election bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Leonard Peter Rodrigo Uncontested walkover
Siglap 16,091 14,844 92.25 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Abdul Rahim bin Ishak 11,456 78.63
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Ariffin bin Noordin 2,529 17.36
Template:SG/UNF Yahiya bin Haji Mohamed Ghouse 584 4.01
Stamford 8,212 7,282 88.68 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Andrew Fong Sip Chee 5,083 71.77
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Chiang Seok Keong 1,999 28.23
Tampines 15,302 14,510 94.82 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Phua Bah Lee 9,049 64.30
bgcolor=Template:People's Front (Singapore)/meta/color| Template:SG/PF Tan Sim Hock 5,025 35.70
Tanglin 12,777 No election bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Edmund William Barker Uncontested walkover
Tanjong Pagar 9,946 9,142 91.92 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Lee Kuan Yew 7,542 84.08
bgcolor=Template:People's Front (Singapore)/meta/color| Template:SG/PF Leong Mun Kwai 1,428 15.92
Telok Ayer 10,547 9,248 87.68 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ong Pang Boon 7,612 83.98
Template:SG/UNF Ng Oh Chew 1,452 16.02
Telok Blangah 14,624 13,437 91.88 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP N. Naidu Govindasamy 7,669 57.92
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Zainul Abiddin bin Mohd Shah 4,714 35.60
Template:SG/UNF Muthusamy Ramasamy 858 6.48
Thomson 18,702 17,438 93.24 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ang Nam Piau 12,378 72.55
bgcolor=Template:People's Front (Singapore)/meta/color| Template:SG/PF Wong Chung Kit 4,683 27.45
Tiong Bahru 17,394 16,108 92.61 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Ch'ng Jit Koon 11,991 75.62
bgcolor=Template:Workers' Party of Singapore/meta/color| Template:SG/WP Seow Yong Chew 2,972 18.74
Template:SG/UNF Lee Kah Chit 894 5.64
Toa Payoh 15,742 15,020 95.41 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Eric Cheong Yuen Chee 10,884 73.85
bgcolor=Template:Barisan Sosialis/meta/color| Template:SG/BS Tay Cheng Kang 3,853 26.15
Ulu Pandan 14,485 13,313 91.91 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Chiang Hai Ding 9,378 71.83
Template:SG/UNF Ang Kheng Kwan 3,678 28.17
Upper Serangoon 16,621 15,594 93.82 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Sia Kah Hui 11,862 77.72
Template:SG/UNF Lim Kia Joo 3,401 22.28
Whampoa 12,044 11,401 94.66 bgcolor=Template:People's Action Party/meta/color| Template:SG/PAP Augustine Tan Hui Heng 8,773 78.55
bgcolor=Template:People's Front (Singapore)/meta/color| Template:SG/PF Phang Juet Haw 2,395 21.45
Source: ELD Singapore Elections

Notes

  1. ^ 95,456 of the 908,382 voters were registered in uncontested constituencies

References

  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p254 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
  2. ^ Parliamentary general election 1972 Singapore Elections
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