1980 Singaporean general election

Elections to the 5th Parliament of Singapore

1980 Singaporean general election

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| <- 1976 | 23 December 1980 | 1984 ->

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|

<- outgoing members

elected members ->

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All 75 seats in Parliament
38 seats needed for a majority
Registered| 685,141
Turnout| 95.50% ( 0.42pp)
|  | First party  |

|
|

|  |
Leader  | Lee Kuan Yew |
Party  | PAP |
Last election  | 74.09%, 69 seats  |
Seats won  | 75 |
Seat change  | 6  |
Popular vote  | 494,268 |
Percentage  | 77.66% |
Swing  |  3.57pp  |

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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 23 December 1980. The result was a victory for the People's Action Party, which won all 75 seats, the last of four consecutive elections in which they repeated the feat. Voter turnout was 95%, although this figure represents the turnout in the 38 constituencies to be contested,[1] with PAP candidates earning walkovers in the other 37. 685,141 voters out of the total electorate of 1,290,426 went to vote on the elections.

## Background

[edit]

Prior to this election, a series of by-elections were held in 1977 and 1979 after two and seven MPs, respectively, were vacated; however, the ruling PAP won every seat, allowing nine new candidates, which include Devan Nair and Tony Tan (both would later go on to become Presidents of Singapore) to enter Parliament. During the election, PAP also introduced a few other prominent members, such as future ministers Lee Yock Suan and S. Jayakumar, as well as a backbencher (and later Progress Singapore Party secretary-general and a 2011 presidential candidate) Tan Cheng Bock.

On 2 April the following year, then-President of National Trades Union Congress, Phey Yew Kok, resigned his Boon Teck seat after Phey was initially charged from a funding fraud of trade union funds, and left Singapore to avoid a bail; however, Lee chose not to call a by-election in his place since the current Parliament term was due to end.

## Timeline

[edit]

Date  | Event

|

5 December | Dissolution of 4th Parliament
13 December | Nomination Day
23 December | Polling Day
3 February 1981 | Opening of 5th Parliament

## Campaign

[edit]

The school streaming system, as well as Phey's fraud, became highlights of the campaign for the election.

Independent candidate Chiam See Tong, who made his political debut in the previous election, founded Singapore Democratic Party on 8 September, and would later go on to win Potong Pasir Constituency on the 1984 election on his third attempt (his first attempt was in the by-election last year) after the retirement of incumbent and cabinet minister Howe Yoon Chong.

A total of 43 opposition candidates went on to contest in 38 constituencies, which was nearly half of the total, with United People's Front representing the most number of candidates at 14. This was the first election (of the only three in history, with the other being 2006 and 2011) none of the candidates ran as Independents.

## Constituencies

[edit]

Main article: List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1980–84)

Similar to previous elections, constituencies were either dissolved or created due to population. The constituencies which saw changes were:[2][3]

Constituency | Changes

|

New Constituencies
Ayer Rajah
Clementi
West Coast | Carved from Bukit Timah
Cheng San
Chong Boon | Carved from Serangoon Gardens
Kaki Bukit | Carved from Kampong Chai Chee
Kebun Baru
Yio Chu Kang | Carved from Ang Mo Kio
Tanah Merah | Carved from Bedok and Changi
Defunct Constituencies
Farrer Park | Ward was absorbed to Moulmein and Cairnhill
Geylang East | Ward was absorbed to Geylang Serai
Upper Serangoon | Ward was absorbed to Serangoon Gardens and Paya Lebar

## Results

[edit]

Party| Votes| %| +/–| Seats| +/–
| People's Action Party| 494,268| 77.66| +3.57| 75| +6
| Workers' Party| 39,590| 6.22| –5.33| 0| 0
| United People's Front| 28,586| 4.49| +2.70| 0| 0
| Singapore United Front| 27,522| 4.32| –2.38| 0| 0
| Barisan Sosialis| 16,488| 2.59| –0.60| 0| 0
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura| 13,435| 2.11| +0.95| 0| 0
| Singapore Democratic Party| 11,292| 1.77| New| 0| New
| Singapore Justice Party| 5,271| 0.83| +0.18| 0| 0
Total| 636,452| 100.00| –| 75| +6
Valid votes| 636,452| 97.27|
Invalid/blank votes| 17,843| 2.73|
Total votes| 654,295| 100.00|
Registered voters/turnout| 1,290,426| 95.50|
Source: Nohlen et al., Singapore Elections[a]

### By constituency

[edit]

Constituency | Electorate  | Party | Candidate | Votes | %

|
|
|
|
|

Alexandra | 18,163  |  | People's Action Party | Tan Soo Khoon | Unopposed
Aljunied | 17,017  |  | People's Action Party | Chin Harn Tong | 13,313  | 84.59
| United Front  | Sim Peng Kim  | 2,425  | 15.41
Ang Mo Kio | 22,542  |  | People's Action Party | Yeo Toon Chia | 17,436  | 81.99
| United People's Front  | Ang Bee Lian  | 3,830  | 18.01
Anson | 15,077  |  | People's Action Party | Devan Nair | 11,564  | 84.10
| United People's Front  | John Santhirasekaran P. M. Thevar  | 2,187  | 15.90
Ayer Rajah | 15,787  |  | People's Action Party | Tan Cheng Bock | 12,400  | 83.39
| Singapore Justice Party | Suib bin Abdul Rahman  | 2,470  | 16.61
Bedok | 20,852  |  | People's Action Party | S. Jayakumar | 14,691  | 75.03
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | Abdul Rahman bin Mohamed Zin  | 3,527  | 18.01
| United People's Front  | Thomas Anthony Tay  | 1,362  | 6.96
Boon Lay | 21,317  |  | People's Action Party | Goh Chee Wee | 15,005  | 74.19
| United Front  | Tan Chee Kien  | 5,220  | 25.81
Boon Teck | 18,705  |  | People's Action Party | Liew Kok Pun | 11,917  | 68.14
| Barisan Sosialis | Lee Siew Choh | 5,571  | 31.86
Braddell Heights | 14,519  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Khoon Choy | Unopposed
Brickworks | 13,054  |  | People's Action Party | Ahmad Mattar | Unopposed
Bukit Batok | 18,275  |  | People's Action Party | Chai Chong Yii | Unopposed
Bukit Ho Swee | 12,435  |  | People's Action Party | Seah Mui Kok | Unopposed
Bukit Merah | 19,046  |  | People's Action Party | Lim Chee Onn | Unopposed
Bukit Panjang | 23,305  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Yiok Seng | 18,510  | 87.03
| United People's Front  | Mohamed Sani bin Ahmad  | 2,759  | 12.97
Bukit Timah | 15,334  |  | People's Action Party | Chor Yeok Eng | Unopposed
Buona Vista | 17,287  |  | People's Action Party | Ang Kok Peng | Unopposed
Cairnhill | 18,133  |  | People's Action Party | Wong Kwei Cheong | 11,444  | 71.79
| Singapore Democratic Party | Fok Tai Loy  | 4,498  | 28.21
Changi | 25,464  |  | People's Action Party | Teo Chong Tee | Unopposed
Cheng San | 17,044  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Yock Suan | 12,312  | 75.89
| Workers' Party | Choong Chee Kwong  | 3,911  | 24.11
Chong Boon | 13,877  |  | People's Action Party | Rajagopal Sitaram Chandra Das | Unopposed
Chua Chu Kang | 22,363  |  | People's Action Party | Tang See Chim | Unopposed
Clementi | 15,129  |  | People's Action Party | Bernard Chen Tien Lap | 12,162  | 85.42
| United People's Front  | Singh Munjeet  | 2,076  | 14.58
Delta | 14,830  |  | People's Action Party | Yeo Choo Kok | Unopposed
Geylang Serai | 19,962  |  | People's Action Party | Othman bin Haron Eusofe | 13,195  | 71.99
| United Front  | Seow Khee Leng  | 5,134  | 28.01
Geylang West | 22,298  |  | People's Action Party | Teh Cheang Wan | 17,585  | 85.45
| United People's Front  | Long bin Abdullah  | 2,994  | 14.55
Havelock | 12,524  |  | People's Action Party | Hon Sui Sen | Unopposed
Henderson | 18,353  |  | People's Action Party | Lai Tha Chai | 13,363  | 77.42
| Workers' Party | Lim Kang Chew  | 3,897  | 22.58
Jalan Besar | 15,058  |  | People's Action Party | Chan Chee Seng | Unopposed
Jalan Kayu | 23,766  |  | People's Action Party | Hwang Soo Jin | 15,275  | 69.02
| Workers' Party | Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair  | 6,855  | 30.98
Joo Chiat | 12,805  |  | People's Action Party | Yeoh Ghim Seng | 8,542  | 74.18
| Singapore Democratic Party | Soon Kia Seng  | 2,973  | 25.82
Jurong | 18,658  |  | People's Action Party | Ho Kah Leong | Unopposed
Kaki Bukit | 21,318  |  | People's Action Party | Saidi Shariff | 14,550  | 72.32
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | Ibrahim bin Ariff  | 4,072  | 20.24
| United People's Front  | Atim bin Ismail  | 1,496  | 7.44
Kallang | 16,222  |  | People's Action Party | S. Dhanabalan | Unopposed
Kampong Chai Chee | 20,237  |  | People's Action Party | Andrew Fong Sip Chee | 15,421  | 81.22
| United Front | Leong Yew Thong  | 3,565  | 18.78
Kampong Glam | 17,241  |  | People's Action Party | S. Rajaratnam | Unopposed
Kampong Kembangan | 15,854  |  | People's Action Party | Mohd Mansor bin Sukaimi | 11,194  | 78.74
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | Jamal bin Idris  | 3,023  | 21.26
Kampong Ubi | 16,250  |  | People's Action Party | Wan Hussin bin Zoohri | 11,102  | 73.87
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | Sahid bin Sahooman  | 2,813  | 18.72
| United People's Front  | Shaikh Ahmad bin Shaikh Salim  | 1,113  | 7.41
Katong | 12,041  |  | People's Action Party | Joseph Francis De Conceicao | Unopposed
Kebun Baru | 17,709  |  | People's Action Party | Lim Boon Heng | 13,632  | 82.83
| United Front | Lim Tiong Hock  | 1,883  | 11.44
| United People's Front  | Jantan bin Taib  | 943  | 5.73
Khe Bong | 15,425  |  | People's Action Party | Ho See Beng | 10,497  | 72.42
| Barisan Sosialis | Sim Say Chuan  | 3,998  | 27.58
Kim Keat | 20,781  |  | People's Action Party | Ong Teng Cheong | Unopposed
Kim Seng | 14,734  |  | People's Action Party | Yeo Ning Hong | 11,109  | 80.55
| Workers' Party | Seow Yong Chew  | 2,682  | 19.45
Kolam Ayer | 22,775  |  | People's Action Party | Sidek Saniff | 16,995  | 80.35
| United Front  | Mohamed Mansor bin Abdul Rahman  | 4,155  | 19.65
Kreta Ayer | 11,973  |  | People's Action Party | Goh Keng Swee | Unopposed
Kuo Chuan | 17,471  |  | People's Action Party | Pathmanaban Selvadurai | 12,378  | 75.92
| Barisan Sosialis | Sim Chit Giak  | 3,925  | 24.08
Leng Kee | 15,166  |  | People's Action Party | Ow Chin Hock | Unopposed
MacPherson | 18,997  |  | People's Action Party | Chua Sian Chin | 15,280  | 86.89
| United People's Front  | Darus bin Shariff  | 2,306  | 13.11
Marine Parade | 21,903  |  | People's Action Party | Goh Chok Tong | Unopposed
Moulmein | 16,999  |  | People's Action Party | Sia Khoon Seong | Unopposed
Mountbatten | 14,045  |  | People's Action Party | Eugene Yap Giau Cheng | Unopposed
Nee Soon | 16,817  |  | People's Action Party | Koh Lip Lin | Unopposed
Pasir Panjang | 17,743  |  | People's Action Party | Abbas Abu Amin | 11,824  | 72.57
| Workers' Party | Zainul Abidin | 4,470  | 27.43
Paya Lebar | 11,666  |  | People's Action Party | Sia Kah Hui | Unopposed
Potong Pasir | 10,068  |  | People's Action Party | Howe Yoon Chong | 5,509  | 59.05
| Singapore Democratic Party | Chiam See Tong | 3,821  | 40.95
Punggol | 23,333  |  | People's Action Party | Ng Kah Ting | 17,103  | 78.86
| United Front  | Chua Nguan Key  | 4,585  | 21.14
Queenstown | 17,450  |  | People's Action Party | Jek Yeun Thong | Unopposed
Radin Mas | 18,854  |  | People's Action Party | Mohamed Kassim Abdul Jabbar | 11,335  | 64.07
| Workers' Party | Wong Hong Toy  | 6,356  | 35.93
River Valley | 14,950  |  | People's Action Party | Tay Eng Soon | Unopposed
Rochore | 14,705  |  | People's Action Party | Toh Chin Chye | Unopposed
Sembawang | 17,785  |  | People's Action Party | Tony Tan | 13,415  | 81.55
| United People's Front  | Harbans Singh  | 3,035  | 18.45
Serangoon Gardens | 16,973  |  | People's Action Party | Lau Teik Soon | Unopposed
Siglap | 16,675  |  | People's Action Party | Abdul Rahim Ishak | 11,564  | 77.91
| Workers' Party | Royston George Scharenguivel  | 3,278  | 22.09
Tampines | 18,982  |  | People's Action Party | Phua Bah Lee | 15,065  | 85.92
| United People's Front  | Kasim bin Ibrahim  | 2,469  | 14.08
Tanah Merah | 15,711  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Chiaw Meng | Unopposed
Tanglin | 13,332  |  | People's Action Party | Edmund W. Barker | Unopposed
Tanjong Pagar | 13,765  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Kuan Yew | 11,730  | 92.74
| United Front  | Johnny Wee Lai Seng  | 555  | 4.39
| United People's Front  | Lee Mun Hung  | 363  | 2.87
Telok Ayer | 12,381  |  | People's Action Party | Ong Pang Boon | Unopposed
Telok Blangah | 18,314  |  | People's Action Party | Rohan bin Kamis | 9,187  | 53.02
| Workers' Party | J. B. Jeyaratnam | 8,141  | 46.98
Thomson | 14,786  |  | People's Action Party | Chau Sik Ting | Unopposed
Tiong Bahru | 18,077  |  | People's Action Party | Ch'ng Jit Koon | Unopposed
Toa Payoh | 13,799  |  | People's Action Party | Eric Cheong Yuen Chee | 9,872  | 76.73
| Barisan Sosialis | Ng Ho  | 2,994  | 23.27
Ulu Pandan | 22,048  |  | People's Action Party | Chiang Hai Ding | Unopposed
West Coast | 18,949  |  | People's Action Party | Wan Soon Bee | 15,185  | 84.43
| Singapore Justice Party | Muthusamy Ramasamy  | 2,801  | 15.57
Whampoa | 19,131  |  | People's Action Party | Augustine Tan Hui Heng | Unopposed
Yio Chu Kang | 14,012  |  | People's Action Party | Lau Ping Sum | 11,607  | 87.53
| United People's Front  | Lachhu S. Piaro  | 1,653  | 12.47
Source: ELD

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ 605,285 of the 1,290,426 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 electoral Map (Key Map)". www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
3. ^ "Singapore Parliamentary electoral Map". www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 2021-11-03.

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