1972 Singaporean general election
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All 65 seats in the Parliament of Singapore 33 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Registered | 812,926 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 760,468 (93.55%) 1.72pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Results by constituency | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Singapore portal
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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:
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.
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
People's Action Party | 524,892 | 70.43 | 65 | +7 | |
Workers' Party | 90,885 | 12.20 | 0 | 0 | |
United National Front | 55,001 | 7.38 | 0 | New | |
Barisan Sosialis | 34,483 | 4.63 | 0 | New | |
People's Front | 22,462 | 3.01 | 0 | New | |
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | 10,054 | 1.35 | 0 | New | |
Independents | 7,462 | 1.00 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 745,239 | 100.00 | 65 | +7 | |
Valid votes | 745,239 | 98.00 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 15,229 | 2.00 | |||
Total votes | 760,468 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 908,382 | 83.72 | |||
Source: Nohlen et al., Singapore Elections[a] |
By constituency[]
Constituency | Electorate | Turnout | % | Party | Candidates | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alexandra | 24,499 | 23,446 | 95.70 | People's Action Party | 17,965 | 77.52 | ||
Workers' Party | 3,782 | 16.32 | ||||||
United National Front | 1,427 | 6.16 | ||||||
Aljunied | 19,278 | 18,251 | 94.67 | People's Action Party | Chin Harn Tong | 12,861 | 71.51 | |
Workers' Party | 4,360 | 24.25 | ||||||
United National Front | 762 | 4.24 | ||||||
Anson | 8,171 | 6,899 | 84.43 | People's Action Party | 5,027 | 74.34 | ||
Workers' Party | 1,291 | 19.09 | ||||||
United National Front | 444 | 6.57 | ||||||
Boon Teck | 15,958 | 15,215 | 95.34 | People's Action Party | Phey Yew Kok | 9,947 | 66.75 | |
People's Front | 4,954 | 33.25 | ||||||
Bras Basah | 8,323 | No election | People's Action Party | Uncontested walkover | ||||
Bukit Batok | 14,563 | 13,623 | 93.55 | People's Action Party | 9,765 | 73.78 | ||
United National Front | 3,471 | 26.22 | ||||||
Bukit Ho Swee | 12,212 | 11,626 | 95.20 | People's Action Party | 7,862 | 68.77 | ||
Barisan Sosialis | 2,209 | 19.32 | ||||||
Workers' Party | 1,361 | 11.91 | ||||||
Bukit Merah | 13,960 | 13,265 | 95.02 | People's Action Party | 9,044 | 69.33 | ||
Workers' Party | 2,042 | 15.65 | ||||||
Barisan Sosialis | 1,958 | 15.02 | ||||||
Bukit Panjang | 15,461 | 14,410 | 93.20 | People's Action Party | 9,527 | 67.65 | ||
Workers' Party | 3,496 | 24.82 | ||||||
United National Front | 1,060 | 7.53 | ||||||
Bukit Timah | 15,476 | 14,598 | 94.33 | People's Action Party | Chor Yeok Eng | 9,475 | 66.78 | |
Barisan Sosialis | 4,714 | 33.22 | ||||||
Cairnhill | 11,952 | 10,670 | 89.28 | People's Action Party | Lim Kim San | 8,458 | 80.92 | |
United National Front | 1,994 | 19.08 | ||||||
Changi | 18,297 | 17,159 | 93.78 | People's Action Party | 10,512 | 62.42 | ||
Workers' Party | 4,917 | 29.20 | ||||||
United National Front | 1,412 | 8.38 | ||||||
Chua Chu Kang | 15,669 | 14,903 | 95.11 | People's Action Party | 9,002 | 62.36 | ||
Barisan Sosialis | 5,434 | 37.64 | ||||||
Crawford | 9,285 | 8,524 | 91.80 | People's Action Party | 6,040 | 72.60 | ||
Workers' Party | 1,565 | 18.81 | ||||||
United National Front | 714 | 8.59 | ||||||
Delta | 13,781 | 13,142 | 95.36 | People's Action Party | 9,149 | 70.72 | ||
Workers' Party | 2,186 | 16.90 | ||||||
Barisan Sosialis | 1,602 | 12.38 | ||||||
Farrer Park | 12,707 | 11,740 | 92.39 | People's Action Party | Lee Chiaw Meng | 8,521 | 73.82 | |
Workers' Party | Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam | 2,668 | 23.11 | |||||
United National Front | 354 | 3.07 | ||||||
Geylang East | 16,580 | 15,375 | 92.73 | People's Action Party | 9,692 | 64.24 | ||
Workers' Party | 4,951 | 32.81 | ||||||
United National Front | 445 | 2.95 | ||||||
Geylang Serai | 13,837 | 12,801 | 92.51 | People's Action Party | 6,711 | 53.59 | ||
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | 4,978 | 39.75 | ||||||
United National Front | 833 | 6.66 | ||||||
Geylang West | 11,653 | 10,806 | 92.73 | People's Action Party | Yong Nyuk Lin | 7,320 | 69.28 | |
Workers' Party | 3,246 | 30.72 | ||||||
Havelock | 10,849 | 10,045 | 92.59 | People's Action Party | Hon Sui Sen | 7,151 | 72.65 | |
Barisan Sosialis | Harbans Singh | 2,692 | 27.35 | |||||
Henderson | 9,431 | 9,048 | 95.94 | People's Action Party | 6,577 | 74.43 | ||
People's Front | 2,260 | 25.57 | ||||||
Hong Lim | 7,486 | 6,700 | 89.50 | People's Action Party | Lee Khoon Choy | 4,835 | 73.79 | |
People's Front | 1,717 | 26.21 | ||||||
Jalan Besar | 10,310 | 9,514 | 92.28 | People's Action Party | 7,794 | 83.86 | ||
United National Front | 1,500 | 16.14 | ||||||
Jalan Kayu | 14,982 | 14,148 | 94.43 | People's Action Party | 8,283 | 59.42 | ||
Workers' Party | 5,137 | 36.86 | ||||||
United National Front | 518 | 3.72 | ||||||
Joo Chiat | 15,684 | 14,248 | 90.84 | People's Action Party | Yeoh Ghim Seng | 11,669 | 83.49 | |
United National Front | 2,307 | 16.51 | ||||||
Jurong | 15,348 | 14,537 | 94.72 | People's Action Party | Ho Kah Leong | 10,741 | 76.43 | |
United National Front | 3,312 | 23.57 | ||||||
Kallang | 17,232 | 16,217 | 94.11 | People's Action Party | 12,626 | 79.75 | ||
United National Front | 3,205 | 20.25 | ||||||
Kampong Chai Chee | 15,564 | 14,506 | 93.20 | People's Action Party | 7,458 | 52.39 | ||
Barisan Sosialis | 4,188 | 29.42 | ||||||
Workers' Party | 2,590 | 18.19 | ||||||
Kampong Glam | 7,542 | No election | People's Action Party | Sinnathamby Rajaratnam | Uncontested walkover | |||
Kampong Kapor | 9,361 | 8,603 | 91.90 | People's Action Party | 6,132 | 73.15 | ||
United National Front | 2,251 | 26.85 | ||||||
Kampong Kembangan | 18,480 | 17,045 | 92.23 | People's Action Party | 9,671 | 57.53 | ||
Workers' Party | 5,451 | 32.43 | ||||||
United National Front | 1,687 | 10.04 | ||||||
Kampong Ubi | 15,431 | 14,366 | 93.10 | People's Action Party | 8,030 | 56.86 | ||
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | 5,076 | 35.94 | ||||||
United National Front | 1,017 | 7.20 | ||||||
Katong | 16,766 | No election | People's Action Party | Uncontested walkover | ||||
Kim Keat | 14,640 | 14,053 | 95.99 | People's Action Party | Ong Teng Cheong | 10,262 | 74.00 | |
Workers' Party | 3,022 | 21.79 | ||||||
United National Front | 583 | 4.21 | ||||||
Kim Seng | 12,893 | 12,299 | 95.39 | People's Action Party | 8,178 | 67.74 | ||
Workers' Party | 3,895 | 32.26 | ||||||
Kreta Ayer | 9,627 | No election | People's Action Party | Goh Keng Swee | Uncontested walkover | |||
Kuo Chuan | 15,142 | 14,576 | 96.26 | People's Action Party | 10,523 | 73.69 | ||
Barisan Sosialis | 3,757 | 26.31 | ||||||
Leng Kee | 17,158 | 16,247 | 94.69 | People's Action Party | Ahmad bin Mohamed Mattar | 10,929 | 68.28 | |
Workers' Party | 4,036 | 25.21 | ||||||
United National Front | 1,042 | 6.51 | ||||||
MacPherson | 15,637 | 14,952 | 95.62 | People's Action Party | Chua Sian Chin | 10,117 | 68.76 | |
Workers' Party | 4,597 | 31.24 | ||||||
Moulmein | 11,144 | 10,428 | 93.58 | People's Action Party | 7,412 | 72.43 | ||
Workers' Party | 2,822 | 27.57 | ||||||
Mountbatten | 14,396 | No election | People's Action Party | Uncontested walkover | ||||
Nee Soon | 17,061 | 16,279 | 95.42 | People's Action Party | 11,636 | 73.29 | ||
United National Front | 4,240 | 26.71 | ||||||
Pasir Panjang | 13,964 | 13,104 | 93.84 | People's Action Party | Othman bin Wok | 9,209 | 71.77 | |
United National Front | 3,623 | 28.23 | ||||||
Paya Lebar | 19,102 | 18,311 | 95.86 | People's Action Party | 11,073 | 61.59 | ||
Workers' Party | 5,361 | 29.82 | ||||||
Independent | 1,545 | 8.59 | ||||||
Potong Pasir | 13,103 | 11,990 | 91.51 | People's Action Party | 7,772 | 66.22 | ||
Workers' Party | 3,391 | 28.89 | ||||||
United National Front | Harnek Singh | 573 | 4.89 | |||||
Punggol | 15,303 | 14,461 | 94.50 | People's Action Party | 8,215 | 58.13 | ||
Independent | 5,917 | 41.87 | ||||||
Queenstown | 18,458 | 17,702 | 95.90 | People's Action Party | Jek Yeun Thong | 14,200 | 81.24 | |
Workers' Party | 2,504 | 28.89 | ||||||
United National Front | 775 | 4.43 | ||||||
River Valley | 12,189 | No election | People's Action Party | Uncontested walkover | ||||
Rochore | 11,589 | 10,552 | 91.05 | People's Action Party | Toh Chin Chye | 6,218 | 60.40 | |
Barisan Sosialis | Lee Siew Choh | 4,076 | 39.60 | |||||
Sembawang | 12,217 | 11,251 | 92.09 | People's Action Party | 8,466 | 77.36 | ||
United National Front | 2,478 | 22.64 | ||||||
Sepoy Lines | 12,308 | 11,496 | 93.40 | People's Action Party | 9,160 | 81.30 | ||
United National Front | 2,107 | 18.70 | ||||||
Serangoon Gardens | 13,836 | No election | People's Action Party | Uncontested walkover | ||||
Siglap | 16,091 | 14,844 | 92.25 | People's Action Party | Abdul Rahim bin Ishak | 11,456 | 78.63 | |
Workers' Party | 2,529 | 17.36 | ||||||
United National Front | 584 | 4.01 | ||||||
Stamford | 8,212 | 7,282 | 88.68 | People's Action Party | 5,083 | 71.77 | ||
Workers' Party | 1,999 | 28.23 | ||||||
Tampines | 15,302 | 14,510 | 94.82 | People's Action Party | Phua Bah Lee | 9,049 | 64.30 | |
People's Front | 5,025 | 35.70 | ||||||
Tanglin | 12,777 | No election | People's Action Party | Edmund William Barker | Uncontested walkover | |||
Tanjong Pagar | 9,946 | 9,142 | 91.92 | People's Action Party | Lee Kuan Yew | 7,542 | 84.08 | |
People's Front | 1,428 | 15.92 | ||||||
Telok Ayer | 10,547 | 9,248 | 87.68 | People's Action Party | Ong Pang Boon | 7,612 | 83.98 | |
United National Front | 1,452 | 16.02 | ||||||
Telok Blangah | 14,624 | 13,437 | 91.88 | People's Action Party | 7,669 | 57.92 | ||
Workers' Party | 4,714 | 35.60 | ||||||
United National Front | 858 | 6.48 | ||||||
Thomson | 18,702 | 17,438 | 93.24 | People's Action Party | 12,378 | 72.55 | ||
People's Front | 4,683 | 27.45 | ||||||
Tiong Bahru | 17,394 | 16,108 | 92.61 | People's Action Party | 11,991 | 75.62 | ||
Workers' Party | 2,972 | 18.74 | ||||||
United National Front | 894 | 5.64 | ||||||
Toa Payoh | 15,742 | 15,020 | 95.41 | People's Action Party | 10,884 | 73.85 | ||
Barisan Sosialis | 3,853 | 26.15 | ||||||
Ulu Pandan | 14,485 | 13,313 | 91.91 | People's Action Party | 9,378 | 71.83 | ||
United National Front | 3,678 | 28.17 | ||||||
Upper Serangoon | 16,621 | 15,594 | 93.82 | People's Action Party | 11,862 | 77.72 | ||
United National Front | 3,401 | 22.28 | ||||||
Whampoa | 12,044 | 11,401 | 94.66 | People's Action Party | 8,773 | 78.55 | ||
People's Front | 2,395 | 21.45 | ||||||
Source: ELD Singapore Elections |
Notes[]
- ^ 95,456 of the 908,382 voters were registered in uncontested constituencies
References[]
- ^ Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p254 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
- ^ Parliamentary general election 1972 Singapore Elections
- 1972 elections in Asia
- General elections in Singapore
- 1972 in Singapore
- September 1972 events in Asia