1955 Singaporean general election

Elections to the 1st Legislative Assembly of Singapore

1955 Singaporean general election

* * *

| <- 1951 | 2 April 1955 | 1959 ->

|
|

elected members ->

* * *

25 of the 32 seats in the Legislative Assembly
17 seats needed for a majority
Registered| 300,199
Turnout| 52.66% ( 0.61pp)
|  | First party  | Second party  | Third party

|
|
|

|  |  |
Leader  | David Marshall | Tan Chye Cheng | Tan Ek Khoo
Party  | LF | PP | DP
Last election  | –  | 45.37%, 6 seats  | –
Seats won  | 10 | 4  | 2
Seat change  | New  |  2  | New
Popular vote  | 42,300 | 38,695  | 32,115
Percentage  | 27.06% | 24.75%  | 20.54%
Swing  | New |  20.62%  | New

* * *

| Fourth party  | Fifth party  | Sixth party
|  |  |
Leader  | Lee Kuan Yew | Wong Foo Nam  | Abdul Hamid Jumat
Party  | PAP | MCA | UMNO
Last election  | –  | –  | –
Seats won  | 3  | 1  | 1
Seat change  | New | New | New
Popular vote  | 13,634  | 6,203  | 5,721
Percentage  | 8.72%  | 3.97%  | 3.66%
Swing  | New | New | New

* * *

| Seventh party  |
|  |
Leader  | Inche Sidik |
Party  | Malay Union |
Last election  | –  |
Seats won  | 1  |
Seat change  | New |
Popular vote  | 1,233  |
Percentage  | 0.79%  |
Swing  | New |

* * *

Results by constituency

* * *

| Chief Minister before election

Position established

| Chief Minister after election

David Marshall

|

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General elections were held in Singapore on 2 April 1955 to elect members to the 25 elected seats in the Legislative Assembly. Nomination day was on 28 February 1955.

## Background

[edit]

Following the promulgation of the Rendel Constitution, the 1955 elections were the first occasion on which a majority of the seats were to be elected rather than be appointed by the colonial authorities. The new constitution was written after recommendations by a committee to grant local citizens more autonomy, headed by George Rendel, were passed.

According to the new Constitution, locals would share executive power with the colonial authorities and there would be a Chief Minister among elected legislators. The number of elected seats was increased to 25, with the British government appointing the remaining seven members. For the first time, political parties were permitted to adopt a standard party symbol for all their candidates and independents to select theirs instead of balloting for them.[1]

The Governor of Singapore and Colonial Secretary posts were replaced by a Chief Secretary, who inherited the power to appoint four nominated Assembly Members. Also scrapped were the seats of the Solicitor-General, two directors, two ex officios, the three commercial organisations and the City Council representative.

## Timeline

[edit]

Date  | Event

|

5 February | Dissolution of the Legislative Council
28 February | Nomination Day
2 April | Polling day
6 April | Inauguration of David Marshall as Chief Minister
7 April | Formation of Council of Ministers
22 April | Opening of 1st Legislative Assembly

## Changes in electoral boundaries

[edit]

See also: List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1955–59)

Constituency | Divisions formed from

|

Bukit Panjang | Bukit Timah & Seletar
Cairnhill | Balestier, Rochore & Tanglin
Farrer Park | Balestier
Geylang | Katong
Havelock | City, Keppel & Tanglin
Kampong Kapor | Rochore
Pasir Panjang | Bukit Timah & Keppel
Paya Lebar | Changi & Katong
Punggol–Tampines | Changi
Queenstown | Bukit Timah, Keppel & Tanglin
Sembawang | Bukit Timah & Seletar
Serangoon | Balestier, Changi & Seletar
Southern Islands | Bukit Timah & Keppel
Stamford | City & Rochore
Tanjong Pagar | City & Keppel
Telok Ayer | City
Tiong Bahru | Keppel
Ulu Bedok | Changi
Whampoa | Balestier

## Results

[edit]

The Straits Times front page on election day

The Sunday Times the day after the election, reporting on the results and David Marshall's Labour Front victory.

Though many British predicted that the Progressive Party would win and Tan Chye Cheng would become Chief Minister, the results were an upset, with the Labour Front winning the most seats and chairman David Marshall becoming Singapore's first Chief Minister after winning in the Cairnhill constituency with 48% of the vote, defeating Tan (36%). With 12 seats (two nominated members were party members), LF formed a coalition government with the United Malays National Organisation (one seat) and Malaysian Chinese Association (one seat) and three ex-officio members (Chief Secretary Sir William Goode, Attorney-General Sir John Edward Davies and Financial Secretary Thomas Mure Hart), which held 17 of the 32 seats, just enough for a majority into the 32-seat assembly.[1] As a result, the 1955 elections remain the only general election to date where a coalition government was formed, the only hung legislature, and the only time the government was not formed by the People's Action Party.

On the opposition side, the newly formed People's Action Party, led by lawyer and former Progressive Party election agent Lee Kuan Yew, chose to field only a handful of candidates to protest against the Rendel Constitution. As independent member Ahmad Ibrahim joined the PAP following the elections, meaning the PAP had four members in the Assembly.[2] Lee won the second-highest vote share of the election with 78% of the vote in Tanjong Pagar; in a statement, Lee also considered Tanglin before choosing Tanjong Pagar due to the influence and welfare with dock workers in the area.[3]

While this was the last general election to date in which voting was not mandatory and despite the electorate increasing sixfold, voter turnout barely increased to 53%, up by 0.61pp. The Southern Islands constituency had the highest turnout at 70%. However, six of 25 constituencies had turnouts of under 50%, with Geylang having the lowest turnout at 41%; in comparison to the last election, the constituency with the lowest turnout was City with 44%.

The election's best performing candidate was Labour Front candidate and future Chief Minister Lim Yew Hock who polled 86% of the vote and had a large winning margin of 79%, while the worst performing candidate was independent Chua Kim Watt, who polled just 0.55% of the vote in Farrer Park. Malay Union candidate Inche Sidik won with the narrowest margin of just 1.15%.

10 candidates lost their $500 election deposits.

Party| Votes| %| Seats| +/–
| Labour Front| 42,300| 27.06| 10| New
| Progressive Party| 38,695| 24.75| 4| –2
| Democratic Party| 32,115| 20.54| 2| New
| People's Action Party| 13,634| 8.72| 3| New
| Malayan Chinese Association| 6,203| 3.97| 1| New
| United Malays National Organisation| 5,721| 3.66| 1| New
| Labour Party| 1,325| 0.85| 0| –2
| Malay Union| 1,233| 0.79| 1| New
| Independents| 15,098| 9.66| 3| +2
Total| 156,324| 100.00| 25| +16
Valid votes| 156,324| 98.89|
Invalid/blank votes| 1,751| 1.11|
Total votes| 158,075| 100.00|
Registered voters/turnout| 300,199| 52.66|
Source: Singapore Elections

### By constituency

[edit]

Constituency | Electorate  | Party | Candidate | Votes  | %

|
|
|
|
|

Bukit Panjang | 8,012  |  | Progressive Party | Goh Tong Liang | 3,097  | 72.21
| Labour Front | Lim Wee Toh  | 1,192  | 27.79
Bukit Timah | 9,173  |  | People's Action Party | Lim Chin Siong | 3,259  | 52.45
| Democratic Party | Tan Wah Meng  | 1,308  | 21.05
| Labour Front | A. N. Mitra  | 924  | 14.88
| Progressive Party | S. F. Ho  | 722  | 11.62
Cairnhill | 13,528  |  | Labour Front | David Marshall | 3,305  | 47.58
| Progressive Party | Tan Chye Cheng | 2,530  | 36.42
| Democratic Party | Tan Khiang Khoo  | 1,111  | 16.00
Changi | 11,239  |  | Democratic Party | Lim Cher Kheng | 2,624  | 45.08
| Progressive Party | S. G. Mohamed Ghows  | 1,699  | 29.19
| Labour Front | Wong Sau Sheung  | 1,498  | 25.73
Farrer Park | 12,242  |  | Labour Front | Anthony Rebeiro Lazarous | 2,585  | 38.52
| People's Action Party | Devan Nair | 2,219  | 33.07
| Progressive Party | Eric Wee Sian Beng  | 1,784  | 26.59
| Independent  | C. T. B. Unnithan  | 85  | 1.27
| Independent  | Chua Kim Watt  | 37  | 0.55
Geylang | 16,604  |  | Labour Front | Mak Pak Shee | 2,756  | 41.17
| Independent  | Goh Hood Kiat  | 1,386  | 20.71
| Labour Party | Lee Yong Min  | 1,325  | 19.80
| Democratic Party | Lam Joon Chong  | 1,226  | 18.32
Havelock | 12,835  |  | Labour Front | Lim Yew Hock | 5,744  | 86.48
| Independent  | C. S. Soh  | 525  | 7.90
| Progressive Party | Chua Bock Kwee  | 373  | 5.62
Kampong Kapor | 13,815  |  | Labour Front | Seah Peng Chuan | 3,253  | 45.60
| Independent  | Caralapati Raghaviah Dasaratha Raj  | 2,155  | 30.21
| Democratic Party | Wong Shian Yein  | 1,283  | 17.98
| Progressive Party | Lim Kian Lee  | 443  | 6.21
Katong | 22,196  |  | Labour Front | Armand Joseph Braga | 4,680  | 45.66
| Progressive Party | John Laycock | 2,965  | 28.93
| Democratic Party | Chan Wah Chip  | 2,605  | 25.41
Pasir Panjang | 13,812  |  | Malayan Chinese Association | Wong Foo Nam | 3,546  | 45.17
| Progressive Party | K. Mohd S. Hamid  | 2,370  | 30.19
| Labour Front | P. V. Krishnan  | 1,306  | 16.63
| Democratic Party | Leong Foon Chew  | 629  | 8.01
Paya Lebar | 12,827  |  | Progressive Party | Lim Koon Teck | 3,330  | 52.07
| Democratic Party | Tan Eng Joo  | 3,065  | 47.93
Punggol–Tampines | 6,628  |  | People's Action Party | Goh Chew Chua | 2,127  | 55.38
| Democratic Party | Anthony Goh  | 918  | 23.90
| Progressive Party | H. A. De Silva  | 796  | 20.72
Queenstown | 7,015  |  | Labour Front | Lee Choon Eng | 2,792  | 67.28
| Democratic Party | Murray Bruce Brash  | 736  | 17.73
| Progressive Party | Elizabeth Choy | 622  | 14.99
Rochore | 12,073  |  | Labour Front | Tan Theng Chiang | 2,929  | 46.25
| Democratic Party | Ong Eng Lian  | 1,897  | 29.95
| Progressive Party | Soh Ghee Soon  | 1,507  | 23.80
Seletar | 9,402  |  | Independent  | Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair | 1,771  | 31.83
| Independent  | Lek Poh Song  | 1,632  | 29.33
| Democratic Party | Tan Leong Teck  | 1,252  | 22.50
| Labour Front | Khew Pee Ging  | 909  | 16.34
Sembawang | 10,675  |  | Independent  | Ahmad Ibrahim | 4,281  | 63.24
| Progressive Party | Lee Kim Kee  | 2,488  | 36.76
Serangoon | 8,402  |  | Progressive Party | Lim Choon Mong | 2,172  | 45.83
| Democratic Party | Lim Chye Seng  | 1,412  | 29.80
| Malayan Chinese Association | Lim Siew Ek  | 1,155  | 24.37
Southern Islands | 3,548  |  | Malay Union | Inche Sidik | 1,233  | 50.57
| Progressive Party | Hollupatherage James Caldera Kulasingha  | 1,205  | 49.43
Stamford | 13,207  |  | Labour Front | Jumabhoy Mohamed Jumabhoy | 2,691  | 43.08
| Independent  | T. A. Simon  | 1,281  | 20.51
| Progressive Party | Nazir Ahmad Mallal  | 1,153  | 18.46
| Democratic Party | Ng Sen Choy  | 1,121  | 17.95
Tanglin | 16,177  |  | Progressive Party | John Anthony Moore Ede | 3,214  | 45.67
| Democratic Party | Lim Yong Bock  | 2,501  | 35.54
| Labour Front | Lim Seow Chuan  | 1,322  | 18.79
Tanjong Pagar | 13,430  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Kuan Yew | 6,029  | 78.33
| Progressive Party | Peter Lim Seck Tiong  | 908  | 11.80
| Democratic Party | Lam Thian  | 760  | 9.87
Telok Ayer | 11,547  |  | Independent  | Rajabali Jumabhoy | 1,945  | 39.90
| Democratic Party | Sng Siak Hwee  | 1,453  | 30.30
| Labour Front | Tan Ewe Chee  | 1,660  | 29.80
Tiong Bahru | 12,664  |  | Democratic Party | William Tan Ah Lek | 2,264  | 38.60
| Progressive Party | Foo Few Ting  | 2,100  | 35.80
| Malayan Chinese Association | Teo Seng Bee  | 1,502  | 25.60
Ulu Bedok | 16,903  |  | United Malays National Organisation | Abdul Hamid Jumat | 5,721  | 61.04
| Democratic Party | Toh Seng Sit  | 2,999  | 32.00
| Progressive Party | Abdul Hamid bin Rahmat  | 652  | 6.96
Whampoa | 12,345  |  | Labour Front | Chew Swee Kee | 2,961  | 45.88
| Progressive Party | Thio Chan Bee  | 2,565  | 39.75
| Democratic Party | Lee Kok Liang  | 927  | 14.37
Source: ELD, Singapore Elections Archived 2021-06-24 at the Wayback Machine

## See also

[edit]

* List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1955–59)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "1955 Legislative Assembly general election". National Library Board. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
2. ^ "History of leader of Opposition in S'pore, from LKY to Chiam See Tong and Low Thia Khiang". mothership.sg. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
3. ^ "The Singapore Maritime Story - Remembering Mr Lee Kuan Yew". www.srs.sg. Retrieved 6 July 2024.

* Sr, Pugalenthi (1996) Elections in Singapore VJ Times International Pte Ltd, Singapore ISBN 981-221-025-3

## External links

[edit]

* General Elections 1955 Archived 2015-08-29 at the Wayback Machine Singapore Elections
* Results of 1955 election in Singapore

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