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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
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:
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 went to 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.
Party
Votes
%
Seats
+/–
People's Action Party
524,892
70.4
65
+7
Workers' Party
90,885
12.2
0
0
United National Front
55,001
7.4
0
New
Barisan Sosialis
34,483
4.6
0
New
People's Front
22,462
3.0
0
New
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura
10,054
1.3
0
New
Independents
7,462
1.0
0
0
Invalid/blank votes
15,229
–
–
–
Total
760,468
100
65
+7
Registered voters/turnout
812,926
93.5
–
–
Source: Nohlen et al.
By constituency
Constituency
Electorate
Party
Candidates
Votes
%
Alexandra
24,499
Template:SG/PAP
Wong Lin Ken
17,965
Template:SG/WP
Wong Kui Yu
3,782
United National Front
S.A. Hamid
1,427
Aljunied
19,278
Template:SG/PAP
Chee Han Tong
12,861
Template:SG/WP
Lim Kang Chew
4,360
United National Front
Amir Ali bin Mohamed
762
Anson
8,171
Template:SG/PAP
Govindaswamy Perumal
5,027
Template:SG/WP
Tay Kim Oh
1,291
United National Front
C. Kunjuraman
444
Boon Teck
15,958
Template:SG/PAP
Phey Yew Kok
9,947
Template:SG/PF
Lim Thiam Hock
4,954
Bras Basah
8,323
Template:SG/PAP
Ho See Beng
Uncontested walkover
Bukit Batok
14,563
Template:SG/PAP
Chai Chong Yii
9,765
United National Front
R. Vetrivelu
3,471
Bukit Ho Swee
12,212
Template:SG/PAP
Seah Mui Kok
7,862
Barisan Sosialis
Chin Tian Choo
2,209
Template:SG/WP
Wee Kia Eng
1,361
Bukit Merah
13,960
Template:SG/PAP
Lim Guan Hoo
9,044
Template:SG/WP
Kho Jiak Hiong
2,042
Barisan Sosialis
Said Jali
1,958
Bukit Panjang
15,461
Template:SG/PAP
Lee Yiok Seng
9,527
Template:SG/WP
Tang Song Khiang
3,496
United National Front
Leyu Tan Jib
1,060
Bukit Timah
15,476
Template:SG/PAP
Chor Yeok Eng
9,475
Barisan Sosialis
K. K. Nair
4,714
Cairnhill
12,287
Template:SG/PAP
Lim Kim San
8,458
United National Front
Paul Elisha
1,994
Changi
18,297
Template:SG/PAP
Sim Boon Woo
10,512
Template:SG/WP
Normah Yahya
4,917
United National Front
Omar Ninggal
1,412
Chua Chu Kang
15,669
Template:SG/PAP
Tang See Chim
9,002
Barisan Sosialis
Ng Ah Chue
5,434
Crawford
9,285
Template:SG/PAP
Ang Kok Peng
6,040
Template:SG/WP
Wu Kher
1,565
United National Front
N. M. Abdul Wahid
714
Delta
13,781
Template:SG/PAP
Yeo Choo Kok
9,149
Template:SG/WP
Wong Hong Toy
2,186
Barisan Sosialis
A. Rahim
1,602
Farrer Park
12,707
Template:SG/PAP
Lee Chiaw Meng
8,521
Template:SG/WP
J. B. Jeyaretnam
2,668
United National Front
S. A. Latiff
354
Geylang East
16,580
Template:SG/PAP
Ho Cheng Choon
9,692
Template:SG/WP
Kum Teng Hock
4,951
United National Front
Mohamed Elias bin Ibrahim
445
Geylang Serai
13,837
Template:SG/PAP
Rahmat Bin Kenap
6,711
Singapore Malay National Organisation
Ahmad Haji Taff
4,978
United National Front
Rom bin Jaafar
833
Geylang West
11,653
Template:SG/PAP
Yong Nyuk Lin
7,320
Template:SG/WP
Quek Doh Lam
3,246
Havelock
10,849
Template:SG/PAP
Hon Sui Sen
7,151
Barisan Sosialis
Harbans Singh
2,692
Henderson
9,431
Template:SG/PAP
Lai Tha Chai
6,577
Template:SG/PF
Wong Wen Nan
2,260
Hong Lim
7,486
Template:SG/PAP
Lee Khoon Choy
4,835
Template:SG/PF
Wong Kong Hoa
1,717
Jalan Besar
10,310
Template:SG/PAP
Chan Chee Seng
7,794
United National Front
Johnnie Ng
1,500
Jalan Kayu
14,982
Template:SG/PAP
Hwang Soo Jin
8,283
Template:SG/WP
Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair
5,137
United National Front
Ong Seng Kok
518
Joo Chiat
15,684
Template:SG/PAP
Yeoh Ghim Seng
11,669
United National Front
William Cook
2,307
Jurong
15,348
Template:SG/PAP
Ho Kah Leong
10,741
United National Front
Ng Soon Hee
3,312
Kallang
17,232
Template:SG/PAP
Abdul Aziz Karim
12,626
United National Front
Sultan Mydin Bin Abdul Hamid
3,205
Kampong Chai Chee
15,564
Template:SG/PAP
Sha'ari Bin Tadin
7,458
Barisan Sosialis
Ng Yang Choo
4,188
Template:SG/WP
Hashim Bin Yadi
2,590
Kampong Glam
7,542
Template:SG/PAP
S. Rajaratnam
Uncontested walkover
Kampong Kapor
9,361
Template:SG/PAP
Yeo Toon Chia
6,132
United National Front
Chng Boon Eng
2,251
Kampong Kembangan
18,480
Template:SG/PAP
Mohamed Ariff Bin Suradi
9,671
Template:SG/WP
Othman Abdullah
5,451
United National Front
Kamaruddin Hassan
1,687
Kampong Ubi
15,431
Template:SG/PAP
Yaacob bin Mohamed
8,030
Singapore Malay National Organisation
Rahman Zin
5,076
United National Front
Darus Shariff
1,017
Katong
16,766
Template:SG/PAP
Joseph Francis De Conceicao
Uncontested walkover
Kim Keat
14,640
Template:SG/PAP
Ong Teng Cheong
10,262
Template:SG/WP
Seow Khee Leng
3,022
United National Front
W. J. Paglar
583
Kim Seng
12,893
Template:SG/PAP
Ong Leong Boon
8,178
Template:SG/WP
Heng Swee Tong
3,895
Kreta Ayer
9,627
Template:SG/PAP
Goh Keng Swee
Uncontested walkover
Kuo Chuan
15,142
Template:SG/PAP
P. Selvadurai
10,523
Barisan Sosialis
P. Mano
3,757
Leng Kee
17,158
Template:SG/PAP
Ahmad Mattar
10,929
Template:SG/WP
Ng Ho
4,036
United National Front
N. Logam
1,042
MacPherson
15,637
Template:SG/PAP
Chua Sian Chin
10,117
Template:SG/WP
Lee Tow Kiat
4,597
Moulmein
11,144
Template:SG/PAP
Sia Khoon Seong
7,412
Template:SG/WP
Cheng Poh Yew
2,822
Mountbatten
14,396
Template:SG/PAP
Ng Yeow Chong
Uncontested walkover
Nee Soon
17,061
Template:SG/PAP
Ong Soo Chuan
11,636
United National Front
F. S. Yap
4,240
Pasir Panjang
13,964
Template:SG/PAP
Othman bin Wok
9,209
United National Front
Syed Ahmad Bin Syed Husain
3,623
Paya Lebar
19,102
Template:SG/PAP
Tay Boon Too
11,073
Template:SG/WP
Tan Poh Seng
5,361
Independent
Kow Kee Seng
1,545
Potong Pasir
13,103
Template:SG/PAP
Ivan Cuthbert Baptist
7,772
Template:SG/WP
Rajaratnam Murugason
3,391
United National Front
Harnek Singh
573
Punggol
15,303
Template:SG/PAP
Ng Kah Ting
8,215
Independent
Ng Teng Kian
5,917
Queenstown
18,458
Template:SG/PAP
Jek Yeun Thong
14,200
Template:SG/WP
Chua Eng Huat
2,504
United National Front
Lew Ban Huat
775
River Valley
12,189
Template:SG/PAP
Tan Eng Liang
Uncontested walkover
Rochore
11,589
Template:SG/PAP
Toh Chin Chye
6,218
Barisan Sosialis
Lee Siew Choh
4,076
Sembawang
12,217
Template:SG/PAP
Teong Eng Siong
8,466
United National Front
Mohd Arif
2,478
Sepoy Lines
12,308
Template:SG/PAP
Wee Toon Boon
9,160
United National Front
Ho Soo Hock
2,107
Serangoon Gardens
13,836
Template:SG/PAP
Leonard Peter Rodrigo
Uncontested walkover
Siglap
16,091
Template:SG/PAP
Abdul Rahim Bin Ishak
11,456
Template:SG/WP
Ariffin Noordin
2,529
United National Front
H. M. Yahiya
584
Stamford
8,212
Template:SG/PAP
Fong Sip Chee Andrew
5,083
Template:SG/WP
Chiang Seok Keong
1,999
Tampines
15,302
Template:SG/PAP
Phua Bah Lee
9,049
People's Front
Tan Sim Hock
5,025
Tanglin
12,777
Template:SG/PAP
Edmund William Barker
Uncontested walkover
Tanjong Pagar
9,946
Template:SG/PAP
Lee Kuan Yew
7,542
People's Front
Leong Mun Kwai
1,428
Telok Ayer
10,547
Template:SG/PAP
Ong Pang Boon
7,612
United National Front
Ng Oh Chew
1,452
Telok Blangah
14,624
Template:SG/PAP
N. Naidu Govindasamy
7,669
Template:SG/WP
Zainul Abiddin bin Mohd Shah
4,714
United National Front
M. Ramasamy
858
Thomson
18,702
Template:SG/PAP
Ang Nam Piau
12,378
People's Front
Chung Kit Wong
4,683
Tiong Bahru
17,394
Template:SG/PAP
Ch'ng Jit Koon
11,991
Template:SG/WP
Seow Yong Chew
2,972
United National Front
Lee Kah Chit
894
Toa Payoh
15,742
Template:SG/PAP
Cheong Yuen Chee
10,884
Barisan Sosialis
Tay Cheng Kang
3,853
Ulu Pandan
14,485
Template:SG/PAP
Chiang Hai Ding
9,378
United National Front
Ang Kheng Kwan
3,678
Upper Serangoon
16,621
Template:SG/PAP
Sia Kah Hui
11,862
United National Front
Lim Kia Joo
3,401
Whampoa
12,044
Template:SG/PAP
Tan Hui Heng Augustine
8,773
People's Front
Phang Juet Haw
2,395
Source: ELD
References