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1972 Singaporean general election

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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]

1972 Singaporean general election
← 1968 2 September 1972 1976 →
All 65 seats in Parliament
33 seats needed for a majority
Registered812,926
Turnout93.55% (Increase 1.72pp)
  First party
 
Leader Lee Kuan Yew
Party PAP
Last election 86.72%, 58 seats
Seats won 65
Seat change Increase 7
Popular vote 524,892
Percentage 70.43%
Swing Decrease 16.29pp
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before election

Lee Kuan Yew
PAP

Prime Minister after election

Lee Kuan Yew
PAP

Electoral system

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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

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

Campaign

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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

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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 Party524,89270.43–16.2965+7
Workers' Party90,88512.20+8.1800
United National Front55,0017.38New0New
Barisan Sosialis34,4834.63New0New
People's Front22,4623.01New0New
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura10,0541.35New0New
Independents7,4621.00–8.2700
Total745,239100.00–65+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

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Constituency Electorate Party Candidates Votes %
Alexandra 24,499 People's Action Party Wong Lin Ken 17,965 77.52
Workers' Party Wong Kui Yu 3,782 16.32
United National Front S.A. Hamid 1,427 6.16
Aljunied 19,278 People's Action Party Chin Harn Tong 12,861 71.51
Workers' Party Lim Kang Chew 4,360 24.25
United National Front Amir Ali bin Mohamed 762 4.24
Anson 8,171 People's Action Party Perumal Govindaswamy 5,027 74.34
Workers' Party Tay Kim Oh 1,291 19.09
United National Front Paul C. Kunjuraman 444 6.57
Boon Teck 15,958 People's Action Party Phey Yew Kok 9,947 66.75
People's Front Lim Thiam Hock 4,954 33.25
Bras Basah 8,323 People's Action Party Ho See Beng Uncontested
Bukit Batok 14,563 People's Action Party Chai Chong Yii 9,765 73.78
United National Front Rengaswamy Vetrivelu 3,471 26.22
Bukit Ho Swee 12,212 People's Action Party Seah Mui Kok 7,862 68.77
Barisan Sosialis Chin Tian Choo 2,209 19.32
Workers' Party Wee Kia Eng 1,361 11.91
Bukit Merah 13,960 People's Action Party Lim Guan Hoo 9,044 69.33
Workers' Party Kho Jiak Hiong 2,042 15.65
Barisan Sosialis Said bin Jali 1,958 15.02
Bukit Panjang 15,461 People's Action Party Lee Yiok Seng 9,527 67.65
Workers' Party Tang Song Khiang 3,496 24.82
United National Front Leyu Tan Jib 1,060 7.53
Bukit Timah 15,476 People's Action Party Chor Yeok Eng 9,475 66.78
Barisan Sosialis Krishnan K. Nair 4,714 33.22
Cairnhill 11,952 People's Action Party Lim Kim San 8,458 80.92
United National Front Paul Elisha 1,994 19.08
Changi 18,297 People's Action Party Sim Boon Woo 10,512 62.42
Workers' Party Normah binte Yahya 4,917 29.20
United National Front Omar bin Ninggal 1,412 8.38
Chua Chu Kang 15,669 People's Action Party Tang See Chim 9,002 62.36
Barisan Sosialis Ng Ah Chue 5,434 37.64
Crawford 9,285 People's Action Party Ang Kok Peng 6,040 72.60
Workers' Party Wu Kher 1,565 18.81
United National Front N. M. Abdul Wahid 714 8.59
Delta 13,781 People's Action Party Yeo Choo Kok 9,149 70.72
Workers' Party Wong Hong Toy 2,186 16.90
Barisan Sosialis Abdul Rahim bin Abdul Rahman 1,602 12.38
Farrer Park 12,707 People's Action Party Lee Chiaw Meng 8,521 73.82
Workers' Party J. B. Jeyaretnam 2,668 23.11
United National Front S. A. Latiff 354 3.07
Geylang East 16,580 People's Action Party Ho Cheng Choon 9,692 64.24
Workers' Party Kum Teng Hock 4,951 32.81
United National Front Mohamed Elias bin Ibrahim 445 2.95
Geylang Serai 13,837 People's Action Party Rahmat bin Kenap 6,711 53.59
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura Ahmad bin Haji Taff 4,978 39.75
United National Front Raja Rom bin Raja Jaafar 833 6.66
Geylang West 11,653 People's Action Party Yong Nyuk Lin 7,320 69.28
Workers' Party Quek Doh Lam 3,246 30.72
Havelock 10,849 People's Action Party Hon Sui Sen 7,151 72.65
Barisan Sosialis Harbans Singh 2,692 27.35
Henderson 9,431 People's Action Party Lai Tha Chai 6,577 74.43
People's Front Wong Wen Nan 2,260 25.57
Hong Lim 7,486 People's Action Party Lee Khoon Choy 4,835 73.79
People's Front Wong Kong Hoa 1,717 26.21
Jalan Besar 10,310 People's Action Party Chan Chee Seng 7,794 83.86
United National Front Johnnie Ng Kong Wah 1,500 16.14
Jalan Kayu 14,982 People's Action Party Hwang Soo Jin 8,283 59.42
Workers' Party Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 5,137 36.86
United National Front Ong Seng Kok 518 3.72
Joo Chiat 15,684 People's Action Party Yeoh Ghim Seng 11,669 83.49
United National Front William James Cook 2,307 16.51
Jurong 15,348 People's Action Party Ho Kah Leong 10,741 76.43
United National Front Ng Soon Hee 3,312 23.57
Kallang 17,232 People's Action Party Abdul Aziz bin Karim 12,626 79.75
United National Front Sultan Mydin bin Abdul Hamid 3,205 20.25
Kampong Chai Chee 15,564 People's Action Party Sha'ari bin Tadin 7,458 52.39
Barisan Sosialis Ng Yang Choo 4,188 29.42
Workers' Party Hashim bin Yadi 2,590 18.19
Kampong Glam 7,542 People's Action Party S. Rajaratnam Uncontested
Kampong Kapor 9,361 People's Action Party Yeo Toon Chia 6,132 73.15
United National Front Chng Boon Eng 2,251 26.85
Kampong Kembangan 18,480 People's Action Party Mohamed Ariff bin Suradi 9,671 57.53
Workers' Party Othman bin Abdullah 5,451 32.43
United National Front Kamaruddin bin Hassan 1,687 10.04
Kampong Ubi 15,431 People's Action Party Ya'acob bin Mohamed 8,030 56.86
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura Abdul Rahman bin Mohamed Zin 5,076 35.94
United National Front Darus bin Shariff 1,017 7.20
Katong 16,766 People's Action Party Joseph Francis De Conceicao Uncontested
Kim Keat 14,640 People's Action Party Ong Teng Cheong 10,262 74.00
Workers' Party Seow Khee Leng 3,022 21.79
United National Front Winston J. Paglar 583 4.21
Kim Seng 12,893 People's Action Party Ong Leong Boon 8,178 67.74
Workers' Party Heng Swee Tong 3,895 32.26
Kreta Ayer 9,627 People's Action Party Goh Keng Swee Uncontested
Kuo Chuan 15,142 People's Action Party Pathmanaban Selvadurai 10,523 73.69
Barisan Sosialis P. Manokaran 3,757 26.31
Leng Kee 17,158 People's Action Party Ahmad Mattar 10,929 68.28
Workers' Party Ng Ho 4,036 25.21
United National Front N. Loganathan 1,042 6.51
MacPherson 15,637 People's Action Party Chua Sian Chin 10,117 68.76
Workers' Party Lee Tow Kiat 4,597 31.24
Moulmein 11,144 People's Action Party Sia Khoon Seong 7,412 72.43
Workers' Party Cheng Poh Yew 2,822 27.57
Mountbatten 14,396 People's Action Party Ng Yeow Chong Uncontested
Nee Soon 17,061 People's Action Party Ong Soo Chuan 11,636 73.29
United National Front Yap Fatt Shing 4,240 26.71
Pasir Panjang 13,964 People's Action Party Othman Wok 9,209 71.77
United National Front Syed Ahmad bin Syed Husain 3,623 28.23
Paya Lebar 19,102 People's Action Party Tay Boon Too 11,073 61.59
Workers' Party Tan Poh Seng 5,361 29.82
Independent Kow Kee Seng 1,545 8.59
Potong Pasir 13,103 People's Action Party Ivan Cuthbert Baptist 7,772 66.22
Workers' Party Rajaratnam Murugason 3,391 28.89
United National Front Harnek Singh 573 4.89
Punggol 15,303 People's Action Party Ng Kah Ting 8,215 58.13
Independent Ng Teng Kian 5,917 41.87
Queenstown 18,458 People's Action Party Jek Yeun Thong 14,200 81.24
Workers' Party Chua Eng Huat 2,504 28.89
United National Front Lew Ban Huat 775 4.43
River Valley 12,189 People's Action Party Tan Eng Liang Uncontested
Rochore 11,589 People's Action Party Toh Chin Chye 6,218 60.40
Barisan Sosialis Lee Siew Choh 4,076 39.60
Sembawang 12,217 People's Action Party Teong Eng Siong 8,466 77.36
United National Front Mohd Arif bin Sahul Hameed 2,478 22.64
Sepoy Lines 12,308 People's Action Party Wee Toon Boon 9,160 81.30
United National Front Ho Soo Hock 2,107 18.70
Serangoon Gardens 13,836 People's Action Party Leonard Peter Rodrigo Uncontested
Siglap 16,091 People's Action Party Abdul Rahim Ishak 11,456 78.63
Workers' Party Ariffin bin Noordin 2,529 17.36
United National Front Yahiya bin Haji Mohamed Ghouse 584 4.01
Stamford 8,212 People's Action Party Andrew Fong Sip Chee 5,083 71.77
Workers' Party Chiang Seok Keong 1,999 28.23
Tampines 15,302 People's Action Party Phua Bah Lee 9,049 64.30
People's Front Tan Sim Hock 5,025 35.70
Tanglin 12,777 People's Action Party Edmund W. Barker Uncontested
Tanjong Pagar 9,946 People's Action Party Lee Kuan Yew 7,542 84.08
People's Front Leong Mun Kwai 1,428 15.92
Telok Ayer 10,547 People's Action Party Ong Pang Boon 7,612 83.98
United National Front Ng Oh Chew 1,452 16.02
Telok Blangah 14,624 People's Action Party N. Naidu Govindasamy 7,669 57.92
Workers' Party Zainul Abiddin bin Mohd Shah 4,714 35.60
United National Front Muthusamy Ramasamy 858 6.48
Thomson 18,702 People's Action Party Ang Nam Piau 12,378 72.55
People's Front Wong Chung Kit 4,683 27.45
Tiong Bahru 17,394 People's Action Party Ch'ng Jit Koon 11,991 75.62
Workers' Party Seow Yong Chew 2,972 18.74
United National Front Lee Kah Chit 894 5.64
Toa Payoh 15,742 People's Action Party Eric Cheong Yuen Chee 10,884 73.85
Barisan Sosialis Tay Cheng Kang 3,853 26.15
Ulu Pandan 14,485 People's Action Party Chiang Hai Ding 9,378 71.83
United National Front Ang Kheng Kwan 3,678 28.17
Upper Serangoon 16,621 People's Action Party Sia Kah Hui 11,862 77.72
United National Front Lim Kia Joo 3,401 22.28
Whampoa 12,044 People's Action Party Augustine Tan Hui Heng 8,773 78.55
People's Front Phang Juet Haw 2,395 21.45
Source: ELD Singapore Elections Archived 6 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine

Notes

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

References

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  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 Archived 6 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine Singapore Elections
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