1972 Singaporean general election

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| <- 1968 | 2 September 1972 | 1976 ->

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All 65 seats in Parliament
33 seats needed for a majority
Registered| 812,926
Turnout| 93.55% ( 1.72pp)
|  | First party  |

|
|

|  |
Leader  | Lee Kuan Yew |
Party  | PAP |
Last election  | 86.72%, 58 seats  |
Seats won  | 65 |
Seat change  |  7  |
Popular vote  | 524,892 |
Percentage  | 70.43% |
Swing  |  16.29pp  |

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Results by constituency

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| Prime Minister before election

Lee Kuan Yew
PAP

| Prime Minister after election

Lee Kuan Yew
PAP

|

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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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Date  | Event

|

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

## Campaign

[edit]

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 more electoral competition with contests in all but eight seats.

Barisan Sosialis (BS) renounced its boycott strategy and attempted to make a comeback, while the Workers' Party (WP) 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.

The PAP government as part of their campaign described alternative opposition parties as having "lost their credibility" with "swerving political manoeuvres", and coupled with Singapore's strong economic progress and successful housing development, the party claimed that Singaporeans "no longer saw need for political diversity", claiming that this led to "squabbling that would impede its effective governance."

## Results

[edit]

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. This election, among post-independence Singapore, also saw then a record number of 22 candidates who scored under 12.5% of the valid votes cast and had resulted in their forfeiture of the $500 election deposits (that number was later surpassed in 2025 with 27). For the second consecutive election, Tanjong Pagar PAP candidate Lee Kuan Yew had his best result of the PAP, or any party, in any constituency in the election, with 84.08% of the vote.

Party| Votes| %| +/–| Seats| +/–
| People's Action Party| 524,892| 70.43| –16.29| 65| +7
| Workers' Party| 90,885| 12.20| +8.18| 0| 0
| United National Front| 55,001| 7.38| New| 0| New
| Barisan Sosialis| 34,483| 4.63| New| 0| New
| People's Front| 22,462| 3.01| New| 0| New
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura| 10,054| 1.35| New| 0| New
| Independents| 7,462| 1.00| –8.27| 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| 93.55|
Source: Nohlen et al., Singapore Elections[a]

### By constituency

[edit]

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 | Lawrence Sia | 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 | 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 | E. 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

## Notes

[edit]

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

## References

[edit]

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 Singapore Elections

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