General elections were held in Singapore on 19 April 1968, the first after independence from Malaysia. The result was a victory for the People's Action Party, which won all 58 seats, the first of four consecutive elections in which they repeated the feat. However, the elections were boycotted by the opposition, the Barisan Sosialis and several other opposition parties except Workers Party. Voter turnout was 91.8%, although this figure represents the turnout in the only seven constituencies to be contested,[1] namely Farrer Park, Geylang Serai, Jalan Kayu, Kampong Ubi, Moulmein, Nee Soon and Tanjong Pagar with PAP candidates earning walkovers in the other 51.
Background[]
Following the resignations of 11 Barisan Sosialis MPs and exodus of two BS MPs from Singapore to escape the Internal Security Department, the Parliament was left with only PAP MPs. BS boycotted the elections on the grounds that Singapore's independence was "phoney" and several opposition parties heeded its call. The chiefs of Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (former UMNO), Ahmad Haji Taff, and the Singapore Chinese Party (former MCA), Chng Boon Eng, turned up but did not file their nominations. Due to this, three precedents were set - the least number of seats contested in a general election, the first time PAP was returned to power on nomination day and the first time it won all seats. Henceforth, walkovers became a perpetual feature in every succeeding GE.
Constituencies[]
| Constituency | Party | Voters |
|---|---|---|
| Aljunied | People's Action Party | 39,353 |
| Anson | 8,764 | |
| Bras Basah | 9,718 | |
| Bukit Panjang | 17,893 | |
| Bukit Timah | 16,769 | |
| Cairnhill | 12,787 | |
| Changi | 15,594 | |
| Choa Chu Kang | 12,879 | |
| Crawford | 7,190 | |
| Delta | 35,450 | |
| Farrer Park | 10,290 | |
| Geylang East | 16,185 | |
| Geylang Serai | 12,741 | |
| Geylang West | 14,609 | |
| Havelock | 11,049 | |
| Hong Lim | 10,388 | |
| Jalan Besar | 11,400 | |
| Jalan Kayu | 12,878 | |
| Joo Chiat | 12,335 | |
| Jurong | 11,455 | |
| Kallang | 22,163 | |
| Kampong Glam | 9,484 | |
| Kampong Kapor | 10,818 | |
| Kampong Kembangan | 29,498 | |
| Kreta Ayer | 11,575 | |
| Moulmein | 11,888 | |
| Mountbatten | 27,632 | |
| Nee Soon | 12,846 | |
| Pasir Panjang | 12,394 | |
| Paya Lebar | 17,573 | |
| Punggol | 12,277 | |
| Queenstown | 35,512 | |
| Rochore | 11,698 | |
| Sembawang | 11,220 | |
| Sepoy Lines | 11,409 | |
| Serangoon Gardens | 9,454 | |
| Siglap | 11,627 | |
| Stamford | 9,919 | |
| Tampines | 15,703 | |
| Tanglin | 21,625 | |
| Tanjong Pagar | 10,806 | |
| Telok Ayer | 11,721 | |
| Telok Blangah | 14,785 | |
| Thomson | 15,911 | |
| Tiong Bahru | 16,532 | |
| Toa Payoh | 19,143 | |
| Ulu Pandan | 13,289 | |
| Upper Serangoon | 13,373 |
References[]
- ↑ Nohlen, D, Grotz, F & Hartmann, C (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p254 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
- Documentation of the districts in Singapore during the 1968 elections
- singapore-elections.com's page on the elections
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