1967 Singaporean by-elections

The by-elections were triggered by the final batch of mass resignations from Barisan Sosialis's elected Members of Parliament.

1967 Singaporean by-elections

7 March 1967

5 seats to the Parliament of Singapore
Registered14,123
Turnout11,624 (82.31%) Decrease 13.14%
  Majority party
 
Leader Lee Kuan Yew
Party PAP
Seats won 5
Seat change Increase 5
Popular vote 9,407
Percentage 83.59%
Swing Increase 49.94%

MPs before election

BS

Elected MPs
  • Selvathurai Pathmanabhan
  • Lim Soo Peng
  • Teo Hup Teck
  • Chew Chin Han
  • Ang Nam Piau

PAP


History

Barisan Sosialis's elected Members of Parliament have heeded to Lim Huan Boon's call on the grounds that Singapore's independence was "phony" because no discussion of Singapore's separation matter was made in the legislature. The final walkout of Barisan members were Koo Young, Loh Miaw Gong, Ong Lian Teng, Poh Ber Liak and Tan Cheng Tong, and left five constituencies vacant; Bukit Panjang, Havelock, Jalan Kayu, Tampines and Thomson respectively. As a result, by-elections were held on 7 March 1967, with the nomination day held on 24 February 1967. Despite five constituencies were vacant, only Thomson was contested by two independent candidates a PAP candidate—in which PAP won. PAP also won the other four constituencies by an uncontested walkover.

Election deposit

The election deposit was set at $500. Similar to previous elections, the election deposit will be forfeited if the particular candidate had failed to secure at least 12.5% or one-eighth of the votes.

Results

By-election 1967: Bukit Panjang
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Selvadurai Pathmanaban Walkover
Majority
Turnout 16,070
PAP gain from BS Swing N/A
By-election 1967: Havelock
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Lim Soo Peng Walkover
Majority
Turnout 12,898
PAP gain from BS Swing N/A
By-election 1967: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Teo Hup Teck Walkover
Majority
Turnout 11,275
PAP gain from BS Swing N/A
By-election 1967: Tampines
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Chew Chin Han Walkover
Majority
Turnout 16,481
PAP gain from BS Swing N/A
By-election 1967: Thomson
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Ang Nam Piau 9,407 83.6 +44.1
Independent Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 1,310 11.6 +11.6
Independent Chan Yoke Kwong 537 4.8 +4.8
Majority 8,097 72.0 N/A
Turnout 11,624 82.3 -13.7
PAP gain from BS Swing N/A

Aftermath of this by election

After this by election which saw both independent candidates obtaining less than one-eighth of the votes and had their election deposit forfeited, the parliament is effectively held only by the PAP Members until the famous 1981 Anson by election as the other 2 BS members Chan Sun Wing (Nee Soon) and Wong Soon Fong (Toa Payoh) had opted to flee the country in order to avoid being arrested[1] by the Internal Security Department (ISD) as what happened to their colleague Chia Thye Poh and others.

References

  1. Leong, Weng Kam. "Ex-leftist MP Wong Soon Fong dies at 81". Straits Times. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
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