1988 Singaporean general election

Elections to the 7th Parliament of Singapore

1988 Singaporean general election

* * *

| <- 1984 | 3 September 1988 | 1991 ->

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|

<- outgoing members

elected members ->

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All 81 directly elected seats in Parliament (and up to 3 NCMPs)
Registered| 1,669,013[a]
Turnout| 94.70% ( 0.95pp)
|  | First party  | Second party  | Third party

|
|
|

|  |  |
Leader  | Lee Kuan Yew | J. B. Jeyaretnam | Chiam See Tong
Party  | PAP | WP | SDP
Last election  | 64.83%, 77 seats  | 12.65%, 1 seat  | 3.66%, 1 seat
Seats won  | 80 | 0+1 NCMP | 1
Seat change  |  3  |  1  1 NCMP |
Popular vote  | 848,029 | 224,473  | 158,341
Percentage  | 63.17% | 16.72%  | 11.80%
Swing  |  1.66pp  |  4.07pp  |  8.14pp

* * *

Results by constituency

* * *

| 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 3 September 1988. President Wee Kim Wee dissolved parliament on 17 August 1988 on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The result was a victory for the People's Action Party, which won 80 of the 81 seats. This was the last time Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew led the PAP in an election.

Though the total eligible voter population surpassed one million in 1976, the 1988 elections was the first time that over one million voters were able to vote in contested constituencies. This was not repeated until 2006.

## Overview

[edit]

In 1986, Town Councils were introduced, which also cumulates to the creation of Group Representation Constituencies, a plurality general ticket voting scheme, to ensure ethnic minority representation in Parliament, starting with three member constituencies. This was also the first election where changes to electoral boundaries were approved by the Prime Minister's Office instead of tabling a bill in Parliament to approve changes.[1]

The Workers' Party absorbed the two parties, Barisan Sosialis (BS) and Singapore United Front to become the largest opposition party and also allied with the Malay party PKMS as a single faction.

In November 1990, two years after the election, the Nominated MP scheme was implemented to introduce non-partisan voices into the legislature. Although the law allowed up to six NMPs, two were appointed at the start and served for a year before the Parliament term ended.

## Timeline

[edit]

Date  | Event

|

14 June | Publication of Electoral Boundaries report
17 August | Dissolution of 6th Parliament
24 August | Nomination Day
3 September | Polling Day
16 September[2] | Non-constituency Member of Parliament posts declared
9 January 1989 | Opening of 7th Parliament

## Electoral boundaries

[edit]

See also: List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1988–91)

In addition to the creation of the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) scheme, single member constituencies (SMC) were either formed from or absorbed to neighboring constituencies due to development and electorate, which was shown in the table below:

Constituency  | Changes

|

Formation of Group Representation Constituencies
Aljunied GRC | Formed from Aljunied, Kampong Kembangan and Kampong Ubi SMCs
Bedok GRC | Formed from Bedok, Kampong Chai Chee and Tanah Merah SMCs
Brickworks GRC | Formed from Alexandra, Brickworks and Queenstown SMCs
Cheng San GRC | Formed from Cheng San, Chong Boon and Jalan Kayu SMCs
Eunos GRC | Formed from Eunos, Kaki Bukit and a portion of Tampines SMCs (the latter was renamed to Tampines North)
Hong Kah GRC | Formed from parts of Bukit Batok (Hong Kah North), Hong Kah (Hong Kah Central) and Yuhua SMCs (Hong Kah South)
Jalan Besar GRC | Formed from Geylang West, Jalan Besar and Kolam Ayer SMCs.
Marine Parade GRC | Formed from Geylang Serai, Joo Chiat and Marine Parade SMCs.
Pasir Panjang GRC | Formed from Clementi, Pasir Panjang and West Coast SMCs.
Sembawang GRC | Formed from parts of Nee Soon (Chong Pang and Nee Soon East) and most of Sembawang SMCs
Nee Soon Central and Nee Soon South were subsumed into its own SMCs
Tampines GRC | Formed from Changkat SMC and Tampines SMC (the latter was divided into Tampines Changkat, Tampines East and Tampines West)
Tiong Bahru GRC | Formed from Delta, Henderson, Tiong Bahru and Radin Mas SMCs; Delta was absorbed into Tiong Bahru division.
Toa Payoh GRC | Formed from Boon Teck, Khe Bong, Kuo Chuan and Toa Payoh SMCs; Khe Bong was absorbed into Boon Teck division.
New Single Member Constituencies
Bukit Gombak SMC | Carved out from Bukit Batok SMC
Hougang SMC | Carved out from Punggol SMC
Nee Soon Central SMC
Nee Soon East SMC | Carved out from Nee Soon SMC
Defunct Single Member Constituencies
Anson SMC | Absorbed to Tanjong Pagar SMC
Bo Wen SMC | Absorbed to Ang Mo Kio SMC
River Valley SMC | Absorbed to Cairnhill SMC
Rochore SMC | Absorbed to Kampong Glam SMC
Telok Ayer SMC | Absorbed to Kreta Ayer SMC

## New candidates

[edit]

The election introduced certain prominent members such as George Yeo, K Shanmugam, Mah Bow Tan, as well as a future WP and opposition leader Low Thia Khiang, who made his debut in Tiong Bahru Group Representation Constituency.

* Abdul Nasser Kamaruddin
* Chay Wai Chuen
* Charles Chong
* Choo Wee Khiang
* Davinder Singh
* George Yeo Yong-Boon
* Hong Hai
* John Chen Seow Phun
* Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam
* Lew Syn Pau
* Loh Meng See
* Low Seow Chay
* Low Thia Khiang
* Mah Bow Tan
* Ong Chit Chung
* Peh Chin Hua
* Peter Sung
* Seet Ai Mee

## Outgoing candidates

[edit]

13 MPs retired ahead of the election per the party's renewal, which include Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye and Senior Minister S. Rajaratnam. Before that, two other MPs had vacated but neither by-elections are called, which were J. B. Jeyaretnam (Anson) and Minister Teh Cheang Wan (Geylang West).

Candidate  | Age  | Constituency  | Since  | Replacement

|
|
|
|

Ang Kok Peng | 61  | Buona Vista  | 1972  | Peter Sung
Chai Chong Yii | 53  | Bukit Batok  | 1972  | Ong Chit Chung
E.W. Barker | 68  | Tanglin  | 1959  | Lew Syn Pau
Eric Cheong | 58  | Toa Payoh  | 1968  | Davinder Singh
Fong Sip Chee | 50  | Kampong Chai Chee  | 1963  | Hong Hai
Jek Yeun Thong | 58  | Queenstown  | 1968  | Chay Wai Chuen
Lai Tha Chai | 52  | Henderson  | 1972  | S Vasoo
Ong Pang Boon | 58  | Telok Ayer  | 1959  | Merged into Kreta Ayer
Phua Bah Lee | 56  | Tampines  | 1968  | Split into three different wards
S. Rajaratnam | 73  | Kampong Glam  | 1959  | Loh Meng See
Tang See Chim | 56  | Chua Chu Kang  | 1966  | Low Seow Chay
Toh Chin Chye | 68  | Rochor  | 1959  | Merged into Kampong Glam
Yeo Choo Kok | 52  | Delta  | 1970  | Merged into Kim Seng

## Results

[edit]

Party| Votes| %| +/–| Seats| +/–

|
|
|
|
|

| People's Action Party| 848,029| 63.17| –1.66| 80| +3
| Workers' Party| 224,473| 16.72| +8.14| 1| 0
| Singapore Democratic Party| 158,341| 11.80| +4.07| 1| 0
| National Solidarity Party| 50,432| 3.76| New| 0| New
| United People's Front| 17,282| 1.29| –1.81| 0| 0
| Singapore Justice Party| 14,660| 1.09| –0.15| 0| 0
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura| 13,526| 1.01| +0.47| 0| 0
| Angkatan Islam| 280| 0.02| –0.02| 0| 0
| Independents| 15,412| 1.15| –0.06| 0| 0
Total| 1,342,435| 100.00| –| 82| +2
Valid votes| 1,342,435| 97.77|
Invalid/blank votes| 30,629| 2.23|
Total votes| 1,373,064| 100.00|
Registered voters/turnout| 1,669,013| 94.70|
Source: Singapore Elections[b]

With the Singapore Democratic Party leader's Chiam See Tong sole victory in the seat of Potong Pasir, two Non-Constituency MP seats were offered to former solicitor-general and Law Society president, Francis Seow and veteran politician Dr Lee Siew Choh, both of which were standing under the WP ticket in Eunos Group Representation Constituency; their campaign was notable for criticizing PAP for alleged dubious financial circumstances; in response Minister of State Tay Eng Soon went to lead their PAP team for Eunos. Despite losing by a narrow margin of 49.1%-50.9%, WP were eligible for the NCMP; however, Seow fled the country on 17 December to avoid arrest and was disqualified from the post while Lee took up the offer and became Singapore's first NCMP, marking Lee's return to Parliament after 25 years since his last stint as a PAP and BS legislator.

### By constituency

[edit]

Constituency  | Seats  | Electorate  | %  | Candidates  | Votes  | %

|
|
|
|
|
|

Aljunied GRC | 3  | 65,351  |  | People's Action Party | Chin Harn Tong
Wan Hussin B H Zoohri
George Yeo | 34,020  | 56.33
| Singapore Democratic Party | Jufrie Mahmood
Neo Choon Aik
Ashleigh Seow Chuan-Hock  | 26,375  | 43.67
Ang Mo Kio SMC | 1  | 14,633  |  | People's Action Party | Yeo Toon Chia | 13,365  | 65.49
| National Solidarity Party | Ong Kah Seng  | 7,044  | 27.25
Ayer Rajah SMC | 1  | 22,532  |  | People's Action Party | Tan Cheng Bock | 14,824  | 69.55
| Workers' Party | Tan Song Gek  | 6,489  | 30.45
Bedok GRC | 3  | 54,969  |  | People's Action Party | Hong Hai
Ibrahim Othman
S. Jayakumar | 28,266  | 54.92
| Workers' Party | Gertrude De Gracias
Saraswathy Murugason
Seow Khee Leng  | 23,203  | 45.08
Boon Lay SMC | 1  | 16,646  |  | People's Action Party | Goh Chee Wee | 11,317  | 71.97
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | Salleh Mohd Bawthan  | 4,408  | 28.03
Braddell Heights SMC | 1  | 27,019  |  | People's Action Party | Goh Choon Kang | 14,862  | 58.80
| Singapore Democratic Party | Sin Kek Tong | 10,412  | 41.20
Brickworks GRC | 3  | 43,117  |  | People's Action Party | Ahmad Mattar
Chay Wai Chuen
Tan Soo Khoon | 26,870  | 67.43
| Workers' Party | J C Corera
Goh Teng Hoon
Ismail Yaacob  | 12,977  | 32.57
Bukit Batok SMC | 1  | 24,138  |  | People's Action Party | Ong Chit Chung | 12,873  | 55.94
| Singapore Democratic Party | Kwan Yue Keng  | 10,139  | 44.06
Bukit Gombak SMC | 1  | 25,221  |  | People's Action Party | Seet Ai Mee | 12,661  | 53.46
| Singapore Democratic Party | Ling How Doong | 11,024  | 46.54
Bukit Merah SMC | 1  | 14,723  |  | People's Action Party | Lim Chee Onn | 9,414  | 69.78
| Workers' Party | Pok Lee Chuen  | 4,077  | 30.22
Bukit Panjang SMC | 1  | 33,824  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Yiok Seng | 18,314  | 57.28
| Singapore Democratic Party | Kwek Guan Kwee  | 9,864  | 30.86
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | Ibrahim Ariff  | 3,790  | 11.86
Bukit Timah SMC | 1  | 20,222  |  | People's Action Party | Wang Kai Yuen | Uncontested
Buona Vista SMC | 1  | 15,850  |  | People's Action Party | Peter Sung | 8,859  | 61.76
| Singapore Democratic Party | Low Yong Nguan  | 5,037  | 35.11
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | Abdul Karim B Abdul Sattar  | 449  | 3.13
Cairnhill SMC | 1  | 23,197  |  | People's Action Party | Wong Kwei Cheong | 12,779  | 63.98
| Singapore Democratic Party | Jimmy Tan Tiang Hoe  | 7,194  | 36.02
Changi SMC | 1  | 17,145  |  | People's Action Party | Teo Chong Tee | 9,398  | 59.73
| Workers' Party | Chiam Yeow Juan  | 6,431  | 40.63
Cheng San GRC | 3  | 56,352  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Yock Suan
Chandra Das S
Heng Chiang Meng | Uncontested
Chua Chu Kang SMC | 1  | 19,628  |  | People's Action Party | Low Seow Chay | 11,058  | 59.28
| Workers' Party | Goh Seng Soon  | 7,597  | 40.72
Eunos GRC | 3  | 75,723  |  | People's Action Party | Tay Eng Soon
Chew Heng Ching
Zulkifli Mohammed | 36,500  | 50.89
| Workers' Party | Lee Siew Choh[c]
Mohd Khalit B Md Baboo
Francis Seow[d] | 35,221  | 49.11
Fengshan SMC | 1  | 17,389  |  | People's Action Party | Arthur Beng Kian Lam | 9,507  | 57.92
| Workers' Party | Chng Chin Siah  | 6,907  | 42.08
Hong Kah GRC | 3  | 67,431  |  | People's Action Party | A Nasser Kamaruddin
John Chen Seow Phun
Yeo Cheow Tong | Uncontested
Hougang SMC | 1  | 21,703  |  | People's Action Party | Tang Guan Seng | 11,983  | 58.96
| Workers' Party | Lim Chiu Liang  | 8,342  | 41.04
Jalan Besar GRC | 3  | 54,941  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Boon Yang
Peh Chin Hua
Sidek Saniff | 31,604  | 62.68
| Workers' Party | Edmund Richard Marsh
Mohamed Bin Idris
Toh Keng Thong  | 18,814  | 37.32
Jurong SMC | 1  | 21,420  |  | People's Action Party | Ho Kah Leong | 14,769  | 75.17
| Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | Mohamed Awang  | 4,879  | 24.83
Kallang SMC | 1  | 21,245  |  | People's Action Party | S. Dhanabalan | 13,097  | 66.13
| Workers' Party | A L Sundram  | 6,707  | 33.87
Kampong Glam SMC | 1  | 21,773  |  | People's Action Party | Loh Meng See | 12,525  | 67.32
| Workers' Party | Frederick De Wind  | 5,800  | 31.87
| Angkatan Islam  | M Sani Jan  | 280  | 1.51
Kebun Baru SMC | 1  | 22,515  |  | People's Action Party | Lim Boon Heng | 15,734  | 75.36
| National Solidarity Party | Mohamed Affendy Bin Abdul Rahim  | 5,145  | 24.64
Kim Keat SMC | 1  | 15,850  |  | People's Action Party | Ong Teng Cheong | 10,644  | 73.00
| Singapore Democratic Party | Md Shariff Bin Yahya  | 3,937  | 27.00
Kim Seng SMC | 1  | 18,474  |  | People's Action Party | Yeo Ning Hong | 11,460  | 66.90
| Workers' Party | Chin Tian Choo  | 5,670  | 33.10
Kreta Ayer SMC | 1  | 21,470  |  | People's Action Party | Richard Hu | 13,158  | 70.50
| Workers' Party | Loh Fook Cheong  | 5,507  | 29.50
Leng Kee SMC | 1  | 21,964  |  | People's Action Party | Ow Chin Hock | 13,334  | 64.96
| Workers' Party | Chua Chwee Huat Peter  | 7,192  | 35.04
MacPherson SMC | 1  | 17,063  |  | People's Action Party | Chua Sian Chin | 10,453  | 65.98
| National Solidarity Party | Kum Teng Hock  | 5,390  | 34.02
Marine Parade GRC | 3  | 62,385  |  | People's Action Party | Goh Chok Tong
Choo Wee Khiang
Othman Haron Eusofe | 41,325  | 73.81
| Singapore Justice Party | A R Suib
M Ramasamy
Theng Chin Eng  | 14,660  | 26.19
Moulmein SMC | 1  | 19,229  |  | People's Action Party | Sia Khoon Seong | 11,334  | 66.08
| Workers' Party | A Balakrishnan  | 5,817  | 33.92
Mountbatten SMC | 1  | 17,747  |  | People's Action Party | Eugene Yap Giau Cheng | 12,712  | 78.15
| Independent  | Chiam Pan Boon  | 3,554  | 21.85
Nee Soon Central SMC | 1  | 24,403  |  | People's Action Party | Ng Pock Too | 13,396  | 57.61
| Singapore Democratic Party | Cheo Chai Chen | 8,944  | 38.46
| United People's Front  | Giam Lai Cheng  | 914  | 3.93
Nee Soon South SMC | 1  | 22,542  |  | People's Action Party | Koh Lip Lin | 13,793  | 64.88
| Singapore Democratic Party | Yong Chu Leong  | 6,533  | 28.98
| United People's Front  | Munjeet Singh  | 932  | 4.39
Pasir Panjang GRC | 3  | 66,600  |  | People's Action Party | Abbas Abu Amin
Bernard Chen Tien Lap
Wan Soon Bee | 38,545  | 61.57
| Workers' Party | Gan Eng Guan
Mohd Taib Sattar
Wee Han Kim  | 24,059  | 38.43
Paya Lebar SMC | 1  | 25,076  |  | People's Action Party | Philip Tan Tee Yong | 12,352  | 52.36
| Singapore Democratic Party | Chew David  | 11,240  | 47.64
Potong Pasir SMC | 1  | 19,852  |  | Singapore Democratic Party | Chiam See Tong | 11,804  | 63.13
| People's Action Party | Kenneth Chen Koon Lap  | 6,893  | 36.87
Punggol SMC | 1  | 31,577  |  | People's Action Party | Ng Kah Ting | 17,914  | 59.85
| Singapore Democratic Party | Abdul Rasheed Y. Abdul Kuthus  | 12,017  | 40.15
Sembawang GRC | 3  | 55,633  |  | People's Action Party | Tony Tan
Charles Chong
K. Shanmugam | 36,154  | 70.08
| United People's Front  | Ang Bee Lian
Kasim Bin Ibrahim
Harbans Singh  | 15,436  | 29.92
Serangoon Gardens SMC | 1  | 24,831  |  | People's Action Party | Lau Teik Soon | 16,234  | 74.17
| Independent  | Harry Baptist  | 5,654  | 25.83
Siglap SMC | 1  | 18,650  |  | People's Action Party | Abdullah Tarmugi | 12,101  | 73.73
| Workers' Party | Chong Tung Shang  | 4,311  | 26.27
Tampines GRC | 3  | 65,148  |  | People's Action Party | Mah Bow Tan
Aline Wong
Yatiman Yusof | 37,216  | 61.00
| National Solidarity Party | Abdul Malik Bin Ali
Chan Yeng Cheong
Lim Ah Yong  | 23,796  | 39.00
Tanglin SMC | 1  | 17,497  |  | People's Action Party | Lew Syn Pau | Uncontested
Tanjong Pagar SMC | 1  | 19,041  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Kuan Yew | 14,043  | 81.60
| Independent  | M G Guru  | 3,167  | 18.40
Teck Ghee SMC | 1  | 15,510  |  | People's Action Party | Lee Hsien Loong | 11,512  | 79.13
| Independent  | Patrick Leong S C  | 3,037  | 20.87
Telok Blangah SMC | 1  | 18,609  |  | People's Action Party | Koh Lam Son | 11,160  | 64.21
| Workers' Party | Tan Soo Phuan  | 6,220  | 35.79
Thomson SMC | 1  | 34,886  |  | People's Action Party | Leong Horn Kee | 21,514  | 67.01
| Singapore Democratic Party | Ng Teck Siong  | 10,590  | 32.99
Tiong Bahru GRC | 3  | 58,898  |  | People's Action Party | Chng Hee Kok
Ch'ng Jit Koon
S Vasoo | 31,732  | 57.84
| Workers' Party | Low Thia Khiang
Lim Lye Soon
Gopalan Nair  | 23,132  | 42.16
Toa Payoh GRC | 3  | 49,243  |  | People's Action Party | Davinder Singh
Ho Tat Kin
Wong Kan Seng | Uncontested
Ulu Pandan SMC | 1  | 23,587  |  | People's Action Party | Dixie Tan | 14,436  | 69.07
| Singapore Democratic Party | George Sita  | 6,466  | 30.93
Whampoa SMC | 1  | 13,819  |  | People's Action Party | Augustine Tan Hui Heng | 7,522  | 59.47
| National Solidarity Party | Ken Sunn  | 5,126  | 40.53
Yio Chu Kang SMC | 1  | 15,991  |  | People's Action Party | Lau Ping Sum | 10,996  | 73.67
| National Solidarity Party | Rasiah Thiagarajah  | 3,931  | 26.33
Yuhua SMC | 1  | 19,190  |  | People's Action Party | Yu-Foo Yee Shoon | 11,497  | 62.96
| Singapore Democratic Party | Toh Kim Kiat  | 6,765  | 37.04
Source: ELD

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Of which 1,449,838 were in contested constituencies
2. ^ 219,175 of the 1,669,013 voters were registered in uncontested constituencies
3. ^ Elected as NCMP on 16 September 1988.
4. ^ Elected as NCMP on 16 September 1988 but lost his seat with effect from 17 December 1988 due to being convicted and fined for tax evasion.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Singapore Elections. "PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION 1988". Retrieved 15 July 2020.
2. ^ National Library Board. "Francis Seow and Siew Choh made non-constituency MPs". Retrieved 16 July 2020.

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