2001 Singaporean general election

Elections to the 10th Parliament of Singapore

2001 Singaporean general election

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| <- 1997 | 3 November 2001 | 2006 ->

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<- outgoing members

elected members ->

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All 84 directly elected seats in Parliament (and up to 3 NCMPs)
Registered| 2,036,923[a]
Turnout| 94.61% ( 1.30pp)
|  | First party  | Second party  | Third party

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|  |  |
Leader  | Goh Chok Tong | Chiam See Tong | Low Thia Khiang
Party  | PAP | SDA | WP
Last election  | 64.98%, 81 seats  | –  | 14.17%, 2 seats
Seats won  | 82 | 2  | 1
Seat change  |  1  | New |  1
Popular vote  | 470,765 | 75,248  | 19,060
Percentage  | 75.29% | 12.03%  | 3.05%
Swing  |  10.31pp  | New |  11.12pp

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Results by constituency

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| Prime Minister before election

Goh Chok Tong
PAP

| Prime Minister after election

Goh Chok Tong
PAP

|

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General elections were held in Singapore on 3 November 2001. President S.R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 18 October 2001 on the advice of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won 82 of the 84 elected seats in Parliament in a landslide victory. Due to the large number (55) of uncontested seats, only 675,306 of the 2,036,923 eligible voters (33%) had an opportunity to vote. As of the recent election in 2020, this was the most recent, and fourth overall (third consecutive) election PAP returned to power on nomination day with a majority of uncontested walkovers.

This election marked the first time that total eligible voter population exceeded the 2 million mark.

## Background

[edit]

The ruling PAP's secretary-general and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong initially scheduled for the election to be held in 2002, but pushed to November after Singapore faced an economic crisis due to the events of September 11 attacks in the United States.

For the first time since 1963, a formal political umbrella emerged from within the opposition. The four-party Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), which consist of the leader party Singapore People's Party (SPP), the National Solidarity Party (NSP), Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (PKMS) and Singapore Justice Party (SJP), was led by Chiam See Tong. SDA fielded the most candidates in the election, where NSP provided the bulk of nine candidates, SPP with four, and PKMS providing a required minority candidate.

Former Workers' Party (WP) Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam, who lost his seat after being declared a bankrupt owing to lawsuits by PAP leaders, resigned from the party, citing disagreements with the present leadership. The only WP Member of Parliament, Low Thia Khiang took over as secretary-general. During nomination day, WP was nominated on only two wards (Hougang and Nee Soon East SMC), as their sole GRC team who attempt to nominate in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency was disqualified for filing incomplete papers.

A seat had been vacated in 1999 after the conviction of Jalan Besar GRC's MP Choo Wee Khiang over commercial crimes, but no by-election was held as the seat was within a GRC. Under the law, an entire electoral constituency (for both single member and GRC seats) has to be vacated before a by-election could be called, as this was done during the Marine Parade GRC by-election of 1992.

### Campaign

[edit]

This election saw its shortest campaigning period of 17 days after opening of the register of electors, as well as the absence of four-member GRCs from the electoral map (four-member GRCs would reappear again in the 2011 elections, in nearly a decade later). Another increase of the election deposit amount this time was the most significant one in history, which almost doubled.

The result saw WP's Low and SDA's Chiam retaining their seats, but saw their winning margins slashed from the 1997. With these two opposition wins, one NCMP seat was offered to and accepted by Steve Chia of Singapore Democratic Alliance, who became the youngest and first-ever non-WP NCMP.

#### Chee Soon Juan incident

[edit]

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) leader Chee Soon Juan came under fire in the media when he encountered Prime Minister Goh while campaigning at a hawker centre. He used a megaphone to ask Goh, "Where is the $18 billion that you have lent to (Indonesian President) Suharto?". Goh and Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew sued Chee for defamation shortly after the election.

Chee lost the lawsuits and was ordered to pay damages of S$300,000 to Goh and S$200,000 to Lee. On 10 February 2006, Chee was declared bankrupt by the High Court after failing to pay the damages owed to Goh and Lee, and was unable to stand in the elections held later May that year, until on 23 November 2012 where Chee was discharged from bankruptcy, and later returned to participate in the 2015 elections.

## Timeline

[edit]

Date  | Event

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17 October | Publication of Electoral Boundaries report
17 October | Certification of Registers of Electors
18 October | Dissolution of 9th Parliament; Writ of Election issued
25 October | Nomination Day
26 October-2 November | Campaigning Period
3 November | Polling Day
25 March 2002 | Opening of 10th Parliament

## Electoral boundaries

[edit]

See also: List of Singaporean electoral divisions (2001–06)

Constituency  | Changes

|

Aljunied GRC | Absorbed the southern Punggol divisions from Cheng San GRC, and Lorong Halus area/Paya Lebar Air Base from Pasir Ris GRC
Kampong Kembangan division was split into Aljunied-Kembangan and Kembangan-Punggol divisions (the latter absorbed with Punggol East from Cheng San GRC), while Punggol South division was renamed to Aljunied–Hougang
Carved out Changi-Simei division to East Coast GRC and Aljunied division to Marine Parade GRC
Ang Mo Kio GRC | Ward upsized to six members
Absorbed Cheng San and Jalan Kayu divisions from Cheng San GRC
Ang Mo Kio division was absorbed into Yio Chu Kang and Teck Ghee divisions
Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC | No Change in Boundaries
East Coast GRC | Absorbed Changi-Simei division from Aljunied GRC
Carved out Joo Chiat division into SMC
Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC | New Constituency
Formed with Ulu Pandan, Bukit Panjang and Buona Vista divisions from Bukit Timah GRC, Sembawang GRC and Tanjong Pagar GRC, respectively
Bukit Panjang divisions was split to include Cashew and Zhenghua divisions, while some of Zhenghua division was split from Tanglin division
Hong Kah GRC | Absorbed Bukit Gombak SMC, and a portion of Chua Chu Kang SMC (to form Keat Hong division)
Carved out Hong Kah East division to Jurong GRC
Hong Kah West was merged into Nanyang division
Jalan Besar GRC | Ward upsized to five members
Absorbed Kampong Glam SMC, Kreta Ayer and Kim Seng divisions (which would merge into Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng division) from Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC
Geylang West division was absorbed into Kolam Ayer and Jalan Besar divisions
Jurong GRC | New Constituency
Formed from a majority of Bukit Timah GRC (except for Bukit Timah division, which carved into SMC), and Hong Kah East division from Hong Kah GRC
Jurong division was split into Pioneer and Taman Jurong divisions, while Bukit Batok East division was formed from portions of Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak & Bukit Timah divisions
Marine Parade GRC | No Change in Boundaries
Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC | New Constituency
Formed from Pasir Ris GRC (except for the Pasir Ris South division, which was absorbed into Tampines GRC) and northern Punggol divisions of Cheng San GRC (Punggol Central, North and South)
Sembawang GRC | Carved out Nee Soon East division into SMC, and Bukit Panjang division into Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC
Sembawang and Woodlands division were split to include Canberra and Admiralty divisions respectively
Tampines GRC | Ward upsized to five members
Absorbed Pasir Ris South division from Pasir Ris GRC (renamed to Tampines North)
Tanjong Pagar GRC | Absorbed Moulmein and Tanglin (renamed to Tanglin-Cairnhill) divisions from Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC
Carved out Buona Vista division to Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC
Leng Kee division was absorbed into Queenstown, Radin Mas and Tanglin-Cairnhill divisions
West Coast GRC | Ward upsized to five members
Absorbed Boon Lay SMC and some of Bukit Timah GRC (Jurong, Joo Koon, Gul Circle and Tuas)
Pasir Panjang division was dissolved into Telok Blangah and West Coast divisions

## Outgoing/New MPs

[edit]

There were a total of 40 (25 PAP) candidates making their political debut in the 2001 election. Notable figures were Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Halimah Yacob, both of which would later go on to become Presidents of Singapore. 24 incumbent MPs retired prior to the announcements. 15 candidates outside PAP were also new, among which new faces include Chee Siok Chin, sister of the SDP's leader Chee Soon Juan, as well as Desmond Lim, who would later lead the newly formed SDA in future years, and a future Perennial candidate Ooi Boon Ewe.

New PAP candidates | Outgoing MPs | New opposition candidates

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|

* Ahmad Khalis, 40
* Amy Khor, 43
* Arthur Fong, 37
* Balaji Sadasivian, 46
* Cedric Foo, 41
* Chong Weng Chiew, 32
* Cynthia Phua, 43
* Eric Low, 53
* Gan Kim Yong, 42
* Halimah Yacob, 47
* Indranee Rajah, 38
* Irene Ng, 37
* Khaw Boon Wan, 48
* Madeleine Ho, 45
* Mohammed Maliki bin Osman, 36
* Ng Eng Hen, 42
* Ong Seh Hong, 37
* Penny Low, 34
* Raymond Lim, 42
* Sitoh Yih Pin, 38
* Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 44
* Vivian Balakrishnan, 40
* Warren Lee, 41
* Wee Siew Kim, 41
* Zainudin Nordin, 38

* Aline Wong (Tampines GRC (Changkat))
* Bernard Chen Tien Lap (West Coast GRC (Clementi))
* Chng Hee Kok (East Coast GRC (Fengshan))
* Eugene Yap (Marine Parade GRC (Mountbatten))
* Goh Chee Wee (Boon Lay)
* Goh Choon Kang (Marine Parade GRC (Braddell Heights))
* Harun Abdul bin Ghani (Hong Kah GRC (Hong Kah West))
* Heng Chiang Meng (Cheng San GRC (Jalan Kayu))
* Ho Tat Kin (Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC (Bishan North))
* Ibrahim Othman (Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC (Toa Payoh Central))
* Kenneth Chen Koon Lap (Hong Kah GRC (Hong Kah North))
* Ker Sin Tze (Aljunied GRC (Paya Lebar))
* Lew Syn Pau (Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC (Tanglin))
* Ow Chin Hock (Tanjong Pagar GRC (Leng Kee))
* Peh Chin Hua (Jalan Besar GRC (Geylang West))
* Peter Chen (Hong Kah GRC (Nanyang))
* Richard Hu (Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC (Kreta Ayer))1
* S Vasoo (Tanjong Pagar GRC (Radin Mas))
* Sidek bin Saniff (Aljunied GRC (Eunos))
* Sinakruppan Ramasamy (Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC (Moulmein))
* Tang Guan Seng (Ang Mo Kio GRC (Ang Mo Kio))
* Toh See Kiat (Aljunied GRC (Aljunied))
* Wan Soon Bee (West Coast GRC (Pasir Panjang))

* Chee Siok Chin, 35 (SDP)
* Fong Chin Leong, 32 (SDA)
* Foo Kok Wah, 30 (SDA)
* Mohamad Isa bin Abdul Aziz, 43 (SDP)
* Desmond Lim Bak Chuan, 34 (SDA)
* Lim Boon Heng, 25 (SDP)
* Arthero Lim Tung Hee, 46 (SDP)
* Ng Kee How, 47 (SDA)
* Ooi Boon Ewe, 60 (IND)
* Poh Lee Guan, 40 (WP)
* Mohamad Rahizan bin Yaacob, 45 (SDA)
* Tan Kim Chuang, 55 (IND)
* Sebastian Teo Kway Huang, 53 (SDA)
* Tong Meng Chye, 53 (SDA)
* Vincent Yeo Boon Keng, 48 (SDP)

1. ^ Richard Hu initially announced that he would seek another term in leading a team for the new Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC, but the idea was scrapped.

## Results

[edit]

PAP won a landslide victory and its best result since 1980. The party achieved its third highest score among the general elections it has contested since 1959. The PAP's vote percentage of 75.3% signalled an overwhelming endorsement of the PAP to lead the nation out of the crisis that came at a time of great uncertainty over world security and the recession that came after the September 11 attacks.

Two candidates, Tan Kim Chuang and Tan Lead Shake, had each forfeited their $9,000 election deposit, the latter being a straight contest where Tan Cheng Bock won the best performing election result at 87.96% in Ayer Rajah Constituency; This is the last election to date where there was a forfeiture of election deposit outside multi-cornered contests.

Party| Votes| %| +/–| Seats| +/–
| People's Action Party| 470,765| 75.29| +10.31| 82| +1
| Singapore Democratic Alliance| 75,248| 12.03| +2.95| 1| 0
| Singapore Democratic Party| 50,607| 8.09| –2.53| 0| 0
| Workers' Party| 19,060| 3.05| –11.12| 1| 0
| Democratic Progressive Party| 5,334| 0.85| +0.15| 0| 0
| Independents| 4,253| 0.68| +0.23| 0| 0
Total| 625,267| 100.00| –| 84| +1
Valid votes| 625,267| 97.87|
Invalid/blank votes| 13,636| 2.13|
Total votes| 638,903| 100.00|
Registered voters/turnout| 2,036,923| 94.61|
Source: Singapore Elections[a]

### By constituency

[edit]

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

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|
|
|
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Aljunied GRC | 5  | 125,115  |  | People's Action Party | Ong Seh Hong
Cynthia Phua
Yeo Guat Kwang
George Yeo
Zainul Abidin | Uncontested
Ang Mo Kio GRC | 6  | 166,644  |  | People's Action Party | Inderjit Singh
Lee Hsien Loong
Balaji Sadasivan
Seng Han Thong
Tan Boon Wan
Wee Siew Kim | Uncontested
Ayer Rajah SMC | 1  | 18,475  |  | People's Action Party | Tan Cheng Bock | 15,024  | 87.96
| Democratic Progressive Party | Tan Lead Shake  | 2,057  | 12.04
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC | 5  | 114,621  |  | People's Action Party | Davinder Singh
Leong Horn Kee
Ng Eng Hen
Wong Kan Seng
Zainudin Nordin | Uncontested
Bukit Timah SMC | 1  | 26,951  |  | People's Action Party | Wang Kai Yuen | 19,121  | 77.37
| Singapore Democratic Alliance | Tong Meng Chye  | 4,376  | 17.71
| Independent  | Tan Kim Chuang  | 1,215  | 4.92
Chua Chu Kang SMC | 1  | 24,863  |  | People's Action Party | Low Seow Chay | 15,349  | 65.34
| Singapore Democratic Alliance | Steve Chia[b] | 8,143  | 34.66
East Coast GRC | 6  | 144,012  |  | People's Action Party | Abdullah Tarmugi
Chew Heng Ching
Lee Yock Suan
Raymond Lim
S. Jayakumar
Tan Soo Khoon | Uncontested
Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC | 5  | 118,834  |  | People's Action Party | Gan Kim Yong
Lim Swee Say
David Lim
Teo Ho Pin
Vivian Balakrishnan | Uncontested
Hong Kah GRC | 5  | 129,073  |  | People's Action Party | Ahmad Khalis Abdul Ghani
Ang Mong Seng
John Chen
Amy Khor
Yeo Cheow Tong | 96,450  | 79.74
| Singapore Democratic Party | Cheo Chai Chen
Lim Boon Heng
Lim Tung Hee
Sarry Bin Hassan
Wong Hong Toy  | 24,513  | 20.26
Hougang SMC | 1  | 23,320  |  | Workers' Party | Low Thia Khiang | 12,070  | 54.98
| People's Action Party | Eric Low | 9,882  | 45.02
Jalan Besar GRC | 5  | 100,268  |  | People's Action Party | Heng Chee How
Lee Boon Yang
Loh Meng See
Lily Neo
Yaacob Ibrahim | 68,309  | 74.48
| Singapore Democratic Alliance | Fong Chin Leong
Lim Bak Chuan
Mohd Rahizan Bin Yaacob
Ng Kee How
Sin Kek Tong | 23,391  | 25.51
Joo Chiat SMC | 1  | 21,745  |  | People's Action Party | Chan Soo Sen | 15,426  | 83.55
| Independent  | Ooi Boon Ewe | 3,038  | 16.45
Jurong GRC | 5  | 115,113  |  | People's Action Party | Foo Yee Shoon
Halimah Yacob
Lim Boon Heng
Ong Chit Chung
Tharman Shanmugaratnam | 84,742  | 79.75
| Singapore Democratic Party | Chee Siok Chin
Chee Soon Juan
Karuppiah Ambalam Gandhi
Mohamed Isa Bin Abdul Aziz
Vincent Yeo  | 21,511  | 20.25
MacPherson SMC | 1  | 22,010  |  | People's Action Party | Matthias Yao | 16,870  | 83.73
| Democratic Progressive Party | Tan Soo Phuan  | 3,277  | 16.27
Marine Parade GRC | 6  | 140,174  |  | People's Action Party | Gan Lai Chiang
Goh Chok Tong
Mohamad Maidin bin Packer Mohd
Othman Haron Eusofe
R Ravindran
Lim Hwee Hua | Uncontested
Nee Soon Central SMC | 1  | 22,975  |  | People's Action Party | Ong Ah Heng | 16,755  | 78.52
| Singapore Democratic Party | Ling How Doong | 4,583  | 21.48
Nee Soon East SMC | 1  | 28,465  |  | People's Action Party | Ho Peng Kee | 19,566  | 73.68
| Workers' Party | Poh Lee Guan  | 6,990  | 26.32
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC | 5  | 134,151  |  | People's Action Party | Ahmad Magad
Charles Chong
Michael Lim
Penny Low
Teo Chee Hean | Uncontested
Potong Pasir SMC | 1  | 16,616  |  | Singapore Democratic Alliance | Chiam See Tong | 8,107  | 52.43
| People's Action Party | Sitoh Yih Pin | 7,356  | 47.57
Sembawang GRC | 6  | 166,137  |  | People's Action Party | Chin Tet Yung
Hawazi Daipi
K. Shanmugam
Warren Lee
Maliki Osman
Tony Tan | Uncontested
Tampines GRC | 5  | 125,432  |  | People's Action Party | Mah Bow Tan
Irene Ng
Ong Kian Min
Sin Boon Ann
Yatiman Bin Yusof | 85,915  | 73.34
| Singapore Democratic Alliance | Abdul Rahim Bin Osman
Foo Kok Wah
Neo Ting Wei
Sebastian Teo
Yip Yew Weng  | 31,231  | 26.66
Tanjong Pagar GRC | 6  | 141,150  |  | People's Action Party | Chay Wai Chuen
Chong Weng Chiew
Indranee Rajah
Khaw Boon Wan
Koo Tsai Kee
Lee Kuan Yew | Uncontested
West Coast GRC | 5  | 110,779  |  | People's Action Party | Arthur Fong
Cedric Foo
Ho Geok Choo
Lim Hng Kiang
S. Iswaran | Uncontested
Source: ELD

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b 1,361,617 of the 2,036,923 voters were registered in uncontested constituencies, leaving 675,306 voters able to vote.
2. ^ Elected as NCMP on 5 November 2001.

## References

[edit]

* "Hsien Loong: Election soon". (8 November 2005). New Straits Times, p. 31.

## External links

[edit]

* Singapore Elections Webpage

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