1991 Singaporean general election

none January 2019 January 2019 Singapore parliamentary 1988 Singaporean general election 1988 7th Parliament of Singapore 1997 Singaporean general election 1997 8th Parliament of Singapore All 81 directly elected seats in Parliament (and up to 3 NCMPs) 31 August 1991 1,692,384RV 844,668 of the 1,692,384 voters were registered in uncontested constituencies, leaving 847,716 voters able to vote. 95.03% ( 0.33pp) 130x130px GohChokTong-WashingtonDC-20010614.jpg Goh Chok Tong People's Action Party 63.17%, 80 seats 77 3 477,760 60.97% 2.20pp ChiamSeeTong-SDARally-20060502.jpg Chiam See Tong Singapore Democratic Party 11.80%, 1 seat 3 2 93,856 11.98% 0.18pp JoshuaBenjaminJeyaretnam-Singapore-20051107-cropped.jpg J. B. Jeyaretnam Workers' Party of Singapore 16.72%, 1 seat 1 112,010 14.29% 2.43pp Prime Minister Prime Minister after election Goh Chok Tong Goh Chok Tong People's Action Party People's Action Party Marine Parade GRC Potong Pasir SMC Did not contest Map of the results of the 1991 Singaporean general election.svg Results by constituency General elections were held in Singapore on 31 August 1991 to elect members of Parliament. They were the ninth general elections since the introduction of self-government in 1959 and the seventh since independence in 1965. Despite changes to electoral boundaries, this was the first general election since 1963 that the number of parliamentary seats had remained unchanged. Up to three non-constituency seats (NCMPs) are also available, depending on the results. This was the first election contested by Goh Chok Tong as Prime Minister, following his succession of Lee Kuan Yew in 1990. Voting was held in only 25 constituencies covering 40 seats, while the other 11 constituencies, comprising 41 seats, went uncontested, with People's Action Party (PAP) candidates returned unopposed on nomination day. As a result, the outcome of the elections was effectively determined before polling day.Mutalib Hussin Singapore's 1991 General Election Southeast Asian Affairs 1992 299–309 https://www.jstor.org/stable/27912054 14 May 2025 0377-5437 The election resulted in a decisive landslide victory for the PAP, which secured 77 out of 81 seats, and another supermajority. However, the opposition made historic gains. The Workers' Party (WP), led by J.B. Jeyaretnam but was ineligible to contest due to his conviction in 1986, won Hougang Single Member Constituency (SMC), while the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), under the leadership of Chiam See Tong, retained Potong Pasir SMC and captured Nee Soon Central and Bukit Gombak SMCs. This marked the first time since independence that opposition parties held more than one seat in Parliament, representing the strongest parliamentary presence by the opposition to date at the time.Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p255 0-19-924959-8 The PAP's popular vote share of 61.0% was also the lowest it had received since independence. As of 2025, the 1991 elections remain the only occasion when no NCMP seats were offered since its creation in 1984. Background This was the inaugural election for Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, who succeeded Lee Kuan Yew on 28 November 1990. Goh decided to call a snap election merely three years after the last election to court a fresh mandate, setting Parliament's shortest term ever. Certain opposition parties led by Chiam See Tong took a collaborative approach on what it was called a "by-election effect", reassuring voters to safely vote in ease for the opposition as such and in which their decision is not to contest every seats. Ultimately, nearly half of the 81 seats, with only 25 contested constituencies, or 40 seats, were contested, resulting in PAP returning to power on nomination day for the second time since 1968. Timeline DateEvent8 August Publication of Electoral Boundaries report14 AugustDissolution of 7th Parliament21 AugustNomination Day31 AugustPolling day6 January 1992Opening of 8th Parliament Electoral boundaries List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1991–97) Existing GRCs Several Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) were expanded from three-member to four-member teams. This adjustment was partly driven by the rapid development of new towns, necessitating changes in electoral boundaries. New divisions were established in areas such as Simei, Jurong West, Bishan and Pasir Ris to reflect their growth. While some existing Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) remained unchanged, others were absorbed into GRCs. Additionally, existing GRCs were restructured to include new electoral divisions.10 August 1991 21 single-member wards, 15 GRCs for next election https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19910810-1.2.27.9.1 9 May 2025 The Straits Times 22 NewspaperSG Constituency Changes/New Group Representation Constituencies Aljunied GRC Absorbed Paya Lebar SMC Ang Mo Kio GRC New ConstituencyFormed from Ang Mo Kio, Kebun Baru, Teck Ghee and Yio Chu Kang SMCs Bedok GRC Absorbed Fengshan and Siglap SMCsTanah Merah division was absorbed into Bedok division Brickworks GRC Absorbed Clementi and West Coast divisions from Pasir Panjang GRCAlexandra division was absorbed into Brickworks and Queenstown divisions, while Pasir Panjang division was absorbed into Brickworks division Cheng San GRC Absorbed Punggol SMC Eunos GRC Pasir Ris division created Hong Kah GRC Hong Kah West division was split from Hong Kah South division Jalan Besar GRC Absorbed Kallang and a portion of Whampoa SMC Kampong Glam GRC New ConstituencyFormed from Cairnhill, Kampong Glam, Kim Seng, Moulmein, and a portion of Whampoa SMC Marine Parade GRC Absorbed MacPherson SMC Sembawang GRC Absorbed Bukit Panjang SMC Tampines GRC Split Changkat division to include Changkat South division Tanjong Pagar GRC New ConstituencyFormed from Henderson, Tanjong Pagar and Telok Blangah SMCs, and a majority of Tiong Bahru GRC Thomson GRC New ConstituencyFormed from Serangoon Gardens and Thomson SMCs with divisions splitting to form Bishan East and Bishan North, respectively Toa Payoh GRC Absorbed Kim Keat SMC MPs not standing for re-election With Ng Kah Ting's retirement, this leaves Lee Kuan Yew as the last active MP from the original Parliament who was still contesting (and eventually elected uncontested) in succeeding elections until 2015. MP Party ConstituencyElected inAbbas Abu AminPAPPasir Panjang GRC1988Abdul Nasser KamaruddinPAPHong Kah GRC1988Augustine TanPAPWhampoa SMC1970Chua Sian ChinPAPMacPherson SMC1968Dixie TanPAPUlu Pandan SMC1984Koh Lam SonPAPTelok Blangah SMC1984Lawrence SiaPAPMoulmein SMC1968Ng Kah TingPAPPunggol SMC1963Philip TanPAPPaya Lebar SMC1984Wan Hussin ZoohriPAPAljunied GRC1980 New candidates The election introduced notable cabinet members such as Lim Hng Kiang, Matthias Yao and Koo Tsai Kee, as well as a perennial candidate Zeng Guo Yuan. New candidate Party ConstituencyAminuddin AmiSJPMarine Parade GRCAziz IbrahimPKMSAyer Rajah SMCChng Wee HongNSPCheng San GRCAndy GanPAPPotong Pasir SMCHarun Abdul GhaniPAPHong Kah GRCHo Peng KeePAPSembawang GRCKer Sin TzePAPAljunied GRCKoo Tsai KeePAPTanjong Pagar GRCLim Hng KiangPAPTanjong Pagar GRCMichael LimPAPCheng San GRCMohamad Maidin PackerPAPAljunied GRCOng Seng KweNSPTampines GRCG. K. NiddyIndependentLeng Kee SMCK. S. M. RajasekaranSJPMarine Parade GRCSarry HassanNSPTampines GRCR. SinnakaruppanPAPKampong Glam GRCUmar Abdul HamidPAPAng Mo Kio GRCMatthias YaoPAPMarine Parade GRCYen Kim KhooiIndependentMountbatten SMCZeng GuoyuanWPBukit Timah SMC Results A total of five candidates, including one from the PKMS party, forfeited their $6,000 deposit. The narrowest margin in the election occurred in Nee Soon Central, where SDP's Cheo Chai Chen narrowly defeated Ng Pock Too by just 0.66%. PAP's Peter Sung at Buona Vista achieved the best overall result with 79.42% of the vote. Meanwhile, SDP candidate Chiam See Tong in Potong Pasir secured 69.64%, marking the highest vote share ever attained by an opposition candidate in post-independence Singapore. Correspondingly, PAP's Andy Gan received 30.36% in the same constituency, the lowest vote share recorded by any PAP candidate to date. This election was also the last to feature walkovers in a SMC. Voter turnout stood at 95.03%, a slight increase of 0.33% from the previous election, with 805,573 of 847,716 registered voters in contested constituencies casting their ballots out of a total electorate of 1,692,384. Singapore Democratic Party 3 Workers' Party of Singapore 1 People's Action Party 77 People's Action Party 477760 –2.20 77 –3 Workers' Party 112010 +0.18 1 +1 Singapore Democratic Party 93856 –2.43 3 +2 National Solidarity Party 57306 +3.55 0 0 Singapore Justice Party 15222 +0.85 0 0 Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura 12862 +0.63 0 0 Independents 14596 +0.72 0 0 21961 0 1692384 95.03 Nohlen et al., Singapore ElectionsRV Opposition parties contested vote Party Votes #DDD 500px 400px SDP Singapore Democratic Party 48.56 WP Workers' Party (Singapore) 41.09 NSP National Solidarity Party (Singapore) 37.92 SJP Singapore Justice Party 22.75 PKMS Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura 16.86 Independents Independent 14.70 By constituency ConstituencySeatsElectoratePartyCandidatesVotes%Aljunied GRC494,490People's Action PartyChin Harn TongKer Sin TzeMohamad Maidin PackerGeorge YeoUncontestedAng Mo Kio GRC474,004People's Action PartyLau Ping SumLee Hsien LoongUmar Abdul HamidYeo Toon ChiaUncontestedAyer Rajah SMC121,887People's Action PartyTan Cheng Bock15,03875.16Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu SingapuraAziz Ibrahim4,97124.84Bedok GRC486,246People's Action PartyAbdullah TarmugiArthur BengS. JayakumarTan Soo Khoon49,10961.98Workers' PartyA. BalakrishnanLim Chiu LiangSim Say ChuanTan Soo Phuan30,12138.02Boon Lay SMC115,007People's Action PartyGoh Chee Wee10,10673.27Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu SingapuraSahid Sahooman3,68626.73Braddell Heights SMC127,444People's Action PartyGoh Choon Kang13,45452.27Singapore Democratic PartySin Kek Tong12,28547.73Brickworks GRC4101,440People's Action PartyAhmad MattarChay Wai ChuenBernard ChenWan Soon BeeUncontestedBukit Batok SMC124,908People's Action PartyOng Chit Chung12,20551.82Singapore Democratic PartyKwan Yue Keng11,34748.18Bukit Gombak SMC124,961Singapore Democratic PartyLing How Doong12,03751.40People's Action PartySeet Ai Mee11,38348.60Bukit Merah SMC111,998People's Action PartyCh'ng Jit Koon6,87861.94Workers' PartyGopalan Nair4,04636.43IndependentPatrick Leong1811.63Bukit Timah SMC124,512People's Action PartyWang Kai Yuen16,08072.64Workers' PartyZeng Guoyuan5,68325.68IndependentMd Sani Jan3711.68Buona Vista SMC114,596People's Action PartyPeter Sung10,48179.42Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu SingapuraAbdul Karim Abdul Sattar2,71620.58Changi SMC124,886People's Action PartyTeo Chong Tee12,29253.00Workers' PartyTan Bin Seng10,90147.00Cheng San GRC492,979People's Action PartyS. Chandra DasHeng Chiang MengLee Yock SuanMichael Lim54,96364.05National Solidarity PartyChng Chin SiahChng Wee HongGertrude De GraciasPok Lee Chuan30,84935.95Chua Chu Kang SMC122,797People's Action PartyLow Seow Chay14,48968.44IndependentKwek Guan Kwee5,07123.95IndependentHarry Baptist1,6117.61Eunos GRC492,728People's Action PartyChew Heng ChingCharles ChongSidek SaniffTay Eng Soon45,83352.38Workers' PartyLee Siew ChohJufrie MahmoodNeo Choon AikWee Han Kim41,67347.62Hong Kah GRC464,712People's Action PartyJohn ChenKenneth ChenHarun Abdul GhaniYeo Cheow TongUncontestedHougang SMC121,476Workers' PartyLow Thia Khiang10,62152.82People's Action PartyTang Guan Seng9,48747.18Jalan Besar GRC482,615People's Action PartyChoo Wee KhiangLee Boon YangPeh Chin HuaZulkifli MohammedUncontestedJurong SMC131,246People's Action PartyHo Kah Leong18,84364.32Workers' PartyJohn Gan8,96530.60Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu SingapuraMohamed Awang1,4895.08Kampong Glam GRC473,317People's Action PartyLoh Meng SeeR. SinnakaruppanWong Kwei CheongYeo Ning HongUncontestedKreta Ayer SMC117,310People's Action PartyRichard HuUncontestedLeng Kee SMC119,027People's Action PartyOw Chin Hock13,33176.57IndependentG. K. Niddy4,08023.43Marine Parade GRC474,032People's Action PartyGoh Chok TongLim Chee OnnOthman Haron EusofeMatthias Yao51,68577.25Singapore Justice PartyAminuddin AmiK. S. M. RajasekaranA. R. SuibTheng Chin Eng15,22222.75Mountbatten SMC115,497People's Action PartyEugene Yap11,02977.95IndependentYen Kim Khooi3,11922.05Nee Soon Central SMC126,806Singapore Democratic PartyCheo Chai Chen12,70950.33People's Action PartyNg Pock Too12,54149.67Nee Soon South SMC127,722People's Action PartyKoh Lip Lin13,71952.76Singapore Democratic PartyLow Yong Nguan12,28447.24Potong Pasir SMC119,263Singapore Democratic PartyChiam See Tong12,58269.64People's Action PartyAndy Gan5,48630.36Sembawang GRC4117,951People's Action PartyHo Peng KeeK. ShanmugamLee Yiok SengTony TanUncontestedTampines GRC469,801People's Action PartyChng Hee KokMah Bow TanAline WongYatiman Yusof38,84459.48National Solidarity PartyOng Seng KweRasiah ThiagarajahSarry HassanKen Sunn26,45740.52Tanglin SMC116,801People's Action PartyLew Syn Pau9,11368.52Singapore Democratic PartyJimmy Tan4,02230.25IndependentM. G. Guru1631.23Tanjong Pagar GRC486,944People's Action PartyKoo Tsai KeeLee Kuan YewLim Hng KiangS. VasooUncontestedThomson GRC468,294People's Action PartyWong Kan SengIbrahim OthmanLau Teik SoonLeong Horn KeeUncontestedToa Payoh GRC463,591People's Action PartyOng Teng CheongS. DhanabalanDavinder SinghHo Tat KinUncontestedUlu Pandan SMC122,299People's Action PartyLim Boon Heng11,42656.41Singapore Democratic PartyAshleigh Seow8,82843.59Yuhua SMC118,797People's Action PartyYu-Foo Yee Shoon9,94556.16Singapore Democratic PartyToh Kim Kiat7,76243.84Source: ELD Incumbents defeated IncumbentConstituencyElected inWinnerName Party NamePartyNg Pock TooPAPNee Soon Central SMC1988Cheo Chai ChenSDPSeet Ai MeePAPBukit Gombak SMC1988Ling How DoongSDPTang Guan SengPAPHougang SMC1984Low Thia KhiangWP Aftermath thumb|upright|The headline on page 1 of The Sunday Times on 1 September An unprecedented four seats were won by the opposition, the biggest number since the 1963 election, and the PAP share of votes fell for the third consecutive time since 1984, down to then lowest share of 60.97%. The SDP clocked in the best performance for an opposition party at 48.56% of the total votes in seats that they contested (a record at the time of the election) and became the main opposition party in Parliament, representing with three seats including the seat of Potong Pasir SMC by leader Chiam See Tong with a record 69.64% of the votes. The three incumbents who were defeated in the election were one-term MPs, including the first woman acting cabinet minister Seet Ai Mee, as well as Ng Pock Too and Tang Guan Seng; only Tang returned to the 1997 election as a member in Ang Mo Kio GRC. Including the four elected opposition seats, 12 constituencies saw oppositions secured at least 40% of the vote, eight of which had a margin of less than 5% (including the PAP narrowly winning in Changi SMC (47.00%), Nee Soon South SMC (47.24%), Eunos GRC (47.62%), Braddell Heights SMC (47.73%) and Bukit Batok SMC (48.18%)), which highlighted the rising support for alternative parties and reflected a significant shift in public sentiment against the PAP's policies at the time. Despite the "by-election effect", opposition candidates narrowly missed out on winning additional seats beyond their final tally. These close outcomes highlighted the momentum the opposition could build despite the PAP's efforts to maintain a significant advantage, even though it ultimately fell short of securing greater parliamentary representation.Singh Bilveer Whither PAP's dominance? an analysis of Singapore's 1991 general elections 1992 Pelanduk Publications 9679784185 The WP made its second in-road into the legislature with the victory of its organising secretary Low Thia Khiang, who previously contested Tiong Bahru GRC in the last election and Hougang SMC on this election, who would years later become WP secretary-general and leader from 2001 to 2018. In a documentary by Low on his Hougang released in 2024, Low remarked that he had also considered contesting Changi SMC, but chose Hougang to make way for Tan Bin Seng to contest there due to familiarities.Hougang The Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2shiNmCnUk 22 February 2025 2 November 2024 Hougang would go on to become the longest-serving opposition safe seat in Singapore for decades to come even after he left Hougang in 2011.Clement Yong Isabelle Liew Claudia Tan GE2025: WP retains strongholds in Aljunied and Hougang despite national swing to PAP The Straits Times https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ge2025-wp-retains-strongholds-in-aljunied-and-hougang-despite-national-swing-to-pap 6 May 2025 4 May 2025Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang to step down as secretary-general by next party election https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/workers-party-chief-low-thia-khiang-to-step-down-as-secretary-9374216 live https://web.archive.org/web/20171117031538/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/workers-party-chief-low-thia-khiang-to-step-down-as-secretary-9374216 17 November 2017 16 September 2019 CNA At a post-election press conference on the night of 31 August, Goh attributed the swing against the PAP to his "open and consultative style of government" and pledged to re-evaluate his style. Since the introduction of the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament scheme in 1984, this was the first election (and to date the only as of 2025) no NCMP seats were offered since four elected opposition seats exceeded the minimum of three NCMP seats allotted; this led to the eventual retirement of Lee Siew Choh in 1993. While both deputy prime ministers Ong Teng Cheong and Lee Hsien Loong were undergoing treatment for cancer, Goh called a by-election in his own constituency just a year after the general election. He justified the move as a strategic opportunity for "political self-renewal", aiming to attract individuals of "ministerial calibre" to join the PAP government. The by-election also coincided with the expiry of opposition politician J. B. Jeyaretnam's political ban, creating a potential opening for his return to electoral politics. Notes References Singapore Category:General elections in Singapore General Singapore