1963 Singaporean general election

Malaysian state election July 2014 July 2014 Malaysia Flag of Singapore.svg parliamentary 1959 Singaporean general election 1959 1968 Singaporean general election 1968 2nd Legislative Assembly of Singapore 21 September 1963 3rd Legislative Assembly of Singapore 617,750 95.11% ( 5.04pp) All 51 seats in the Legislative Assembly 26 130x130px Mr. Lee Kuan Yew Mayoral reception 1965 (cropped).jpg Lee Kuan Yew People's Action Party Tanjong Pagar 54.08%, 43 seats 37 6 272,924 46.93% 7.15pp Lee Siew Choh Barisan Sosialis RochoreLee Siew Choh represented Queenstown before the election. (lost re-election) Did not exist 13 New 193,301 33.24% New Ong Eng Guan United People's Party (Singapore) Hong Lim Did not exist 1 New 48,785 8.39% New Map of the results of the 1963 Singaporean general election.svg Results by constituency Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew Prime Minister after election People's Action Party Lee Kuan Yew People's Action Party General elections were held in Singapore on 21 September 1963 to elect all 51 members of the Legislative Assembly. This was the first and only general election held when Singapore was part of Malaysia as an autonomous state, and just days after it became fully independent from the United Kingdom on 16 September following full internal self-government in 1959. It was also the only election to date without any boundary changes to constituencies. The People's Action Party (PAP) under Lee Kuan Yew won 37 of the 51 seats, while 13 went to the Barisan Sosialis (BS) led by Lee Siew Choh, its left-wing splinter party. The United People's Party (UPP) secured one seat through its leader Ong Eng Guan, a former PAP member. The ruling Alliance Party of Malaysia led by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) contested the election through its Singapore branch (SAP) in an attempt to unseat the PAP, straining PAP–UMNO relations. However, the Alliance lost all seven of its seats which they held in Singapore, including those in Malay dominated areas. In response, the PAP contested seats in Peninsular Malaysia during the 1964 federal election the following year, further deepening tensions and mistrust between the Alliance federal government and the PAP state government. A total of 210 candidates contested the elections, marking the largest slate in Singapore for over six decades until it was surpassed in 2025. The ruling PAP fielded candidates in all 51 seats, while its breakaway parties, BS and the UPP, each put forward 46 and the SAP fielded 42. This was the last election in which any party other than the PAP contested more than half the parliamentary seats. With the two PAP splinter groups and the Alliance fielding nearly full slates, it became one of the most fiercely contested elections and posed a serious challenge to the ruling PAP. Voter turnout reached 95.11%, the highest at the time in Singapore's history. This was the most recent general election in which the PAP received less than half of the popular vote, at only 47%, and the last parliamentary election to date where MPs (29 out of 51) were elected by a plurality due to the first-past-the-post voting system. It was also the last general election in which an incumbent minister was defeated until 2011 and the last general election in which all seats were contested until 2015. With the Independence of Singapore Agreement 1965, this election was the only one that was held when Singapore was a state of Malaysia. After independence, the elected members of the Legislative Assembly subsequently become members of the inaugural Parliament of Singapore. Background Although the People's Action Party (PAP) had won 43 seats in the 1959 elections,31 May 1959 PAP sweeps to power with 43 seats https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19590531-1.2.5 2025-05-29 The Straits Times Singapore Press Holdings they lost four seats in 1961 (two were from the by-election defeats, and two defected to the new United People's Party (UPP)). A further 13 legislators were expelled from PAP for voting against the government in a no-confidence motion on 20 July 1961; the dissidents subsequently formed a new party, the Barisan Sosialis (BS), alleging PAP as a communist front. The combination of by-election defeats, defections and expulsions reduced the PAP by 17 seats down to 26, leaving PAP with a one-seat majority. On 3 July 1962, while the integration referendum debate was in procession, the PAP lost its majority following the resignation of legislator Ho Puay Choo, who later joined BS on 11 August. Five days later, UPP legislator S. V. Lingam rejoined PAP, giving it back its one-seat majority. However, the majority was lost again on 21 August following the death of health minister Ahmad Ibrahim, who was the MP for Sembawang.Sam Jackie 29 August 1962 Minister Ahmad Ibrahim Dies, 35 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19620829-1.2.79 11 December 2025 The Straits Budget 13 NewspaperSG BS planned to field Lim Chin Siong to contest in a by-election, but it was not held. On 31 August 1963, Singapore was declared fully independent from the United Kingdom (full internal self-government was granted in 1959) with PAP declared as trustees until the merger with Malaysia could be complete. On 3 September, Lee Kuan Yew dissolved the Legislative Assembly in accordance with procedure, the Proclamation of Malaysia was ratified on 16 September, and elections are to be held on 21 September. As part of the Malaysia Agreement, the head of government in Singapore were permitted to retain the title of "Prime Minister" despite there already being a prime minister of Malaysia, as Singapore were given more autonomy in some areas than the other states of Malaysia. Timeline 3 SeptemberDissolution of 2nd Legislative Assembly12 SeptemberNomination Day21 SeptemberPolling day22 OctoberOpening of 3rd Legislative Assembly Incumbents not standing for re-election The following incumbent elected members of the Legislative Assembly did not run in the 1963 election. Incumbent Party ConstituencyElected inAbdul Hamid JumatUMNOGeylang Serai1955Hoe Puay ChooBSBras Basah1959Ismail RahimPAPGeylang East1959G. KandasamyPAPKampong Kapor1959C. H. KohSPAJoo Chiat1959Lim Yew HockSPACairnhill1951Lin You EngBSMoulmein1959Low Por TuckBSHavelock1959John MammenPAPTelok Blangah1959Sahorah AhmatPAPSiglap1959Sheng Nam ChinBSNee Soon1959Tee Kim LengBSPasir Panjang1959 Campaign The elections, held in the midst of Singapore's merger with Malaysia, are remembered as the PAP's hardest-fought as the party faced intensive challenges from three other parties that fielded nearly full slates. BS collated with Parti Rakyat, and fielded candidates in all but two seats, while UPP had an unusually large number of candidates. Earlier that year on 2 February, as part of an anti-communist security operation, the PAP government with support of the Malaysian federal government and the British government had launched Operation Coldstore to detain several BS leaders, including Lim Chin Siong, which severely hampered BS. On the final night of campaigning, PAP officials issued a sudden warning: if BS were to win the election and defeat the PAP, the federal government in Kuala Lumpur might deploy troops to Singapore and invoke emergency powers, bypassing the incoming BS-led government, allegedly due to its perceived pro-communist stance. This last-minute tactic, seen by many as fearmongering, left BS with no opportunity to respond. Nevertheless, it appeared to sway public sentiment and may have contributed significantly to the PAP's victory the following day. The sole Workers' Party (WP) legislator David Marshall resigned from the party he founded and became the only independent. Another participant was Singapore Alliance, an extension of the ruling federal Alliance Party in Malaysia, which was a coalition consisting of the Singapore People's Alliance (SPA) along with the local branches of UMNO, the Malayan Chinese Association and Malayan Indian Congress. However, former Chief Minister and leader Lim Yew Hock opted not to run in the elections, citing a defamation campaign by the PAP.Lau Albert A Moment of Anguish: Singapore in Malaysia and the Politics of Disengagement Times Academic Press 1998 Singapore 981-210-1349 Results In terms of votes, Cairnhill candidate Lim Kim San had the best scoring result of 66.46%; however, 29 out of the 51 constituencies had elected by plurality as a result of first-past-the-post voting. Delta's MP-elect Chan Choy Siong had the narrowest winning margin of 0.46%. A total of 92 candidates lost their election deposits, with the lowest being 0.72%, held by Moulmein's independent candidate Soo Tho Siu Hee. right Popular vote PAP 46.93 People's Action Party BS 33.24 Barisan Sosialis SPA 8.42 Singapore People's Alliance UPP 8.39 United People's Party (Singapore) Others 1.87 grey Independents 1.17 Independent right Seats won 37 seats (PAP) 72.55 People's Action Party 13 seats (BS) 25.49 Barisan Sosialis 1 seat (UPP) 1.96 United People's Party (Singapore) Barisan Sosialis 13 United People's Party (Singapore) 1 People's Action Party 37 People's Action Party 272924 37 –6 Barisan Sosialis 193301 13 New Singapore Alliance 48967 0 –3 United People's Party 48785 1 New Parti Rakyat 8259 0 0 Pan-Malayan Islamic Party 1545 0 0 United Democratic Party 760 0 New #CD8845 Workers' Party 286 0 0 Independents 6788 0 –1 5818 0 617450 Singapore Elections By constituency ConstituencyElectoratePartyCandidateVotes%SwingMarginAljunied16,152People's Action PartyS. V. Lingam7,74550.90 +1.5020.51Barisan SosialisThio Kheng Lock4,62430.39NewSingapore Alliance PartyLim Koon Teck1,68111.05NewUnited People's PartyWoo Kong Seng1,1657.66NewAnson9,192People's Action PartyP. Govindaswamy3,95746.90–13.859.88Barisan SosialisChan Chong Keen3,12337.02NewSingapore Alliance PartyA. K. Isaac5436.44NewIndependentDavid Marshall4164.93NewUnited People's PartyV. Vythalingam3063.63NewWorkers' PartyChiang Seok Keong911.08NewBras Basah10,678People's Action PartyHo See Beng4,92651.80 –11.5511.52Barisan SosialisLeong Kwan Fai3,83140.28NewUnited People's PartyPan Cheng Luan3353.52NewSingapore Alliance PartyWong Chin Sen3043.20NewWorkers' PartyChua Chin Kiat1141.20NewBukit Merah12,225Barisan SosialisLim Huan Boon4,96342.84New3.82People's Action PartyS. Ramaswamy4,52039.02–20.07United People's PartyPoon Weng Ying1,1299.75NewSingapore Alliance PartyShums Tung7406.39NewIndependentNgon Eng Kok2322.00NewBukit Panjang12,997Barisan SosialisOng Lian Teng5,67946.45New6.04People's Action PartyLee Khoon Choy4,94040.41–17.90Singapore Alliance PartyLoo Bah Chit9998.17NewUnited People's PartyThuan Paik Phok6074.97NewBukit Timah12,502Barisan SosialisLee Tee Tong6,17352.39New10.11People's Action PartyChor Yeok Eng4,98242.28–18.86United People's PartyOng Tiong Kuan6285.33NewCairnhill12,340People's Action PartyLim Kim San7,74966.46 +45.7845.51Barisan SosialisLim Ang Chuan2,44320.95NewSingapore Alliance PartyLee Ah Seong1,46712.59NewChangi11,866People's Action PartySim Boon Woo4,80842.78New12.30Barisan SosialisSiek Shing Min3,42530.48NewSingapore Alliance PartySyed Esa Almenoar1,97517.57NewUnited People's PartyAbdullah Masood9358.32NewIndependentM. N. Yahya950.85NewChua Chu Kang8,198Barisan SosialisChio Cheng Thun3,75348.59New17.14People's Action PartyLim Kim Hian2,42931.45–24.84United People's PartySim Chit Giak80010.36NewSingapore Alliance PartyNeo Guan Choo3965.13NewIndependentGoh Tong Liang3454.47NewCrawford10,949Barisan SosialisS. T. Bani4,40042.75New1.87People's Action PartyK. M. Byrne4,20740.88–26.69United People's PartyLau Tok Keong1,03210.03NewSingapore Alliance PartyS. A. Hsieh5715.55NewWorkers' PartyGoh Tong Liang810.79NewDelta14,037People's Action PartyChan Choy Siong5,41740.53–18.920.46Barisan SosialisWee Toon Lip5,35440.07NewUnited People's PartyChen Chia Kuang2,23316.71NewIndependentWong Kui Yu3592.69NewFarrer Park10,189People's Action PartyS. Rajoo5,36555.71 +13.8628.51Barisan SosialisLee Chin Siang2,61927.20NewSingapore Alliance PartyA. P. Rajah1,23212.79NewUnited People's PartyWee Kia Eng4144.30NewGeylang East16,014People's Action PartyHo Cheng Choon7,16547.28–4.6711.72Barisan SosialisPhua Soon Lian5,38935.56NewSingapore Alliance PartyNg Cheng Chwee1,4679.68NewUnited People's PartyTan Peng Seah1,1347.48NewGeylang Serai15,302People's Action PartyRahamat Kenap6,72248.01 +17.5612.16Singapore Alliance PartyAhmad Haji Taff5,01935.85NewPan-Malayan Islamic PartyMohamed Taha Suhaimi1,2018.58 +4.92IndependentDarus Shariff1,0597.56NewGeylang West15,386People's Action PartyYong Nyuk Lin6,28843.63–23.974.29Barisan SosialisUn Hon Kun5,67039.34NewUnited People's PartyKum Teng Hock1,54110.69NewSingapore Alliance PartyMohamed Haji Yacob9146.34NewHavelock15,159Barisan SosialisLoh Miaw Gong6,30444.05New14.90People's Action PartyWong Chun Choi4,15729.05NewUnited People's PartyNg Chee Sen3,20922.42NewSingapore Alliance PartyLim Ser Puan6414.48NewHong Lim12,003United People's PartyOng Eng Guan5,06644.47New11.20People's Action PartySeah Mui Kok3,78933.27–43.75Barisan SosialisLim Chien Sen2,34420.58NewSingapore Alliance PartySam Tai Guan1911.68NewJalan Besar13,764People's Action PartyChan Chee Seng6,68651.87–10.6111.75Barisan SosialisNg Ngeong Yew5,17240.12NewUnited People's PartyYong Wan Kit1,0338.01NewJalan Kayu9,164Barisan SosialisTan Cheng Tong3,31238.04New7.31People's Action PartyTeo Hup Teck2,67630.73–31.55United People's PartyLui Boon Phor1,14613.16NewSingapore Alliance PartyM. P. D. Nair1,05712.14NewIndependentOng Yu Thoh5165.93NewJoo Chiat14,966People's Action PartyFong Kim Heng9,30065.88 +25.2539.40Barisan SosialisLeong Keng Seng3,73726.48NewSingapore Alliance PartySeow Peck Leng1,0787.64NewJurong7,611Barisan SosialisChia Thye Poh3,97355.85New23.96People's Action PartyOng Soo Chuan2,26831.89–38.78United People's PartySoh U Loh5017.04NewSingapore Alliance PartyWong Tuck Leong3715.22NewKallang16,974People's Action PartyBuang Omar Junid8,47952.21 +3.0320.10Barisan SosialisP. Oorjitham5,21532.11NewUnited People's PartyMohamed Shariff Dollah1,1667.18NewSingapore Alliance PartyTan Hock Lim9695.97NewIndependentTan Hai Tong4112.53NewKampong Glam10,186People's Action PartyS. Rajaratnam4,31344.79–20.482.29Barisan SosialisTan Jing Quee4,09342.50NewUnited People's PartyHarbans Singh1,22412.71NewKampong Kapor11,672People's Action PartyMahmud Awang4,55441.93–12.343.66Barisan SosialisLim Hock Thiam4,15538.27NewUnited People's PartyNalliah Karuppiah1,14310.53NewSingapore Alliance PartyChia Ban Wei1,0069.27NewKampong Kembangan15,787People's Action PartyAriff Suradi7,12748.31 +11.5823.28Singapore Alliance PartyAli Alwi3,69225.03NewPartai RakyatSaleha Mohamed Shah2,67418.13 +16.11United People's PartyIbrahim Jaffar9146.20NewPan-Malayan Islamic PartyMohamed Dali Muin3442.33–0.44Kreta Ayer13,103People's Action PartyGoh Keng Swee8,05965.47–7.8835.85Barisan SosialisPeter Lau3,64629.62NewUnited People's PartyLoke Wan6044.91NewMoulmein10,670People's Action PartyAvadai Dhanam Lakshimi5,85658.00–10.7527.78Barisan SosialisTann Wee Tiong3,05130.22NewUnited People's PartyNeo Hay Chan5755.69NewSingapore Alliance PartyKoh Chiat Lim5425.37NewIndependentSoo Tho Siu Hee730.72NewMountbatten16,843People's Action PartyNg Yeow Chong7,75148.97 +25.1316.38Barisan SosialisFung Yin Ching5,15832.59NewSingapore Alliance PartyLee Kim Chuan1,86511.78NewIndependentFelice Leon-Soh1,0536.66NewNee Soon10,064Barisan SosialisChan Sun Wing4,91451.33New16.56People's Action PartyHow Kang Yong3,32934.77–38.53United People's PartyGoh Soo Ming8649.02NewSingapore Alliance PartyYeo Teo Bok3643.80NewIndependentLim Siak Guan1031.08NewPasir Panjang6,721People's Action PartyOthman Wok2,87945.30 +9.3015.61Barisan SosialisTay Cheng Kang1,88729.69NewSingapore Alliance PartyAhmad Rahmat1,35121.26NewUnited People's PartyYong Ah Kau2383.75NewPaya Lebar13,544Barisan SosialisKow Kee Seng6,15247.96New5.85People's Action PartyTan Kia Gan5,40242.11–18.70United People's PartyYeo Keng Wee8586.69NewSingapore Alliance PartyGoh Yeow Dek4153.24NewPunggol10,294People's Action PartyNg Kah Ting4,72147.76 +1.3718.83Barisan SosialisKoh Chit Kiang2,86028.93NewSingapore Alliance PartyTan Jin Hong1,32013.35NewUnited People's PartyLee Jiak Seck9849.96NewQueenstown16,133People's Action PartyJek Yeun Thong8,16552.81 +1.0016.66Barisan SosialisLee Ek Chong5,58936.15NewUnited People's PartyNg Ho9095.88NewSingapore Alliance PartyLee Khee Loong7985.16NewRiver Valley10,532People's Action PartyLim Cheng Lock5,59756.67 +20.1219.66Barisan SosialisGoh Lam San2,66827.01NewSingapore Alliance PartyYap Pheng Geck1,15611.71NewUnited People's PartyChung Kit Wong4554.61NewRochore11,698People's Action PartyToh Chin Chye5,01545.56–26.200.81Barisan SosialisLee Siew Choh4,92644.75NewUnited People's PartyPan Tiek Tai1,0679.69NewSembawang9,329People's Action PartyTeong Eng Siong3,74542.17–12.521.74Barisan SosialisChen Poh Chang3,59140.43NewSingapore Alliance PartyP. Appavoo1,19713.48NewUnited People's PartyLow Seng Wan3483.92NewSepoy Lines10,046People's Action PartyWee Toon Boon4,90752.25–6.1018.74Barisan SosialisOng Chang Sam3,14733.51NewSingapore Alliance PartyGoh Su Chiang7938.44NewUnited People's PartyTan Choon Sing5455.80NewSerangoon Gardens8,765People's Action PartyR. A. Gonzales4,45653.40 +4.4721.07Barisan SosialisNg Hui Sim2,69832.33NewUnited People's PartyNg Teo Joo7368.82NewSingapore Alliance PartyChoy Kok Wah4555.45NewSiglap15,915People's Action PartyAbdul Rahim Ishak9,34262.12 +27.7844.71Partai RakyatTay Check Yaw2,61817.41NewSingapore Alliance PartySoo Ban Hoe1,4889.89NewUnited People's PartyOng Jin Teck1,3659.08NewIndependentKoh Tee Kin2251.50NewSouthern Islands5,236People's Action PartyYa'acob Mohamed2,76455.41 +30.0710.82Singapore Alliance PartyAhmad Jabri Akib2,22444.59NewStamford11,628People's Action PartyFong Sip Chee5,78153.27 +4.0919.00Barisan SosialisTeo Hock Guan3,71934.27NewUnited People's PartyLim Chung Min7717.10NewSingapore Alliance PartyLal Behari Singh5825.36NewTampines13,137Barisan SosialisPoh Ber Liak5,97648.33New19.20People's Action PartyGoh Chew Chua3,60129.13–44.14United People's PartyLiam Tian Seng2,13017.23NewSingapore Alliance PartyLim Jew Kan6565.31NewTanglin9,239People's Action PartyE. W. Barker4,42451.07 +20.9628.01Barisan SosialisTan Cheow Hock1,99723.06NewSingapore Alliance PartyThio Chan Bee1,73820.07NewUnited People's PartyEng Chau Sam3363.88NewIndependentAriffin Mohd Said1661.92NewTanjong Pagar11,395People's Action PartyLee Kuan Yew6,31758.93–12.1125.94Barisan SosialisOng Hock Siang3,53732.99NewUnited People's PartyLim Peng Kang4734.41NewSingapore Alliance PartyChng Boon Eng3933.67NewTelok Ayer13,219People's Action PartyOng Pang Boon5,39044.01–23.373.29Barisan SosialisLam Chit Lee4,98740.72NewUnited People's PartyGoh Hong Keng1,48412.12NewIndependentWang Chung Kwang3853.15NewTelok Blangah13,263People's Action PartyBernard Rodrigues4,94939.82–10.595.00Barisan SosialisJukri Parjo4,32734.82NewSingapore Alliance PartyAbdul Rahman2,62721.14NewUnited People's PartyTan Swee Huat5254.22NewThomson11,336Barisan SosialisKoo Young5,29249.17–5.469.70People's Action PartyLeo Keng Fong4,24839.47NewUnited People's PartyLoo Ka Thiam1,22311.36NewTiong Bahru12,534People's Action PartyLee Teck Him5,73148.15 +0.4916.24Barisan SosialisSoon Dit Woo3,79831.91NewUnited People's PartyNg Teng Kian1,0889.14NewIndependentWilliam Tan7776.53NewSingapore Alliance PartyTan Kok Siong5084.27NewToa Payoh13,394Barisan SosialisWong Soon Fong6,08348.20New14.32People's Action PartyYip Sai Weng4,27633.88–43.78United People's PartyGoh Nee Kim1,50111.89NewUnited Democratic PartyTan Chor Yong7606.03NewUlu Pandan11,866People's Action PartyChow Chiok Hock5,00044.86–0.5818.24Partai RakyatJohari Sonto2,96726.62NewSingapore Alliance PartyAnang Haji Abdul Manan1,72915.51NewUnited People's PartyLer Chin Tee1,45013.01NewUpper Serangoon12,433People's Action PartySia Kah Hui6,65056.56 +11.5026.39Barisan SosialisChia Yang Loong3,54730.17NewUnited People's PartyPhua Gek Boon5955.06NewIndependentLim Choon Mong5734.87NewSingapore Alliance PartyWu Moh Chye3933.34NewSource: ELD, Singapore Elections, The Straits Times22 September 1963 THIS IS THE WAY THE VOTING WENT https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19630922-1.2.10 23 January 2026 The Straits Times 2 NewspaperSG Incumbents defeated IncumbentConstituencyElected inWinnerName Party NamePartyAli AlwiSAPKampong Kembangan1959Ariff SuradiPAPK. M. ByrnePAPCrawford1959S. T. BaniBSChor Yeok EngPAPJurong (ran in Bukit Timah)1959Lee Tee TongBSFung Yin ChingBSStamford (ran in Mountbatten)1959Ng Yeow ChongPAPGoh Chew ChuaPAPTampines1955Poh Ber LiakBSAhmad Jabri AkibSAPSouthern Islands1959Ya'acob MohamedPAPLee Khoon ChoyPAPBukit Panjang1959Ong Lian TengBSLee Siew ChohBSQueenstown (ran in Rochore)1959Toh Chin ChyePAPLeong Keng SengBSSerangoon Gardens (ran in Joo Chiat)1959Fong Kim HengPAPDavid MarshallIndependentAnson1961P. GovindaswamyPAPNg Teng KianUPPPunggol (ran in Tiong Bahru)1959Lee Teck HimPAPOng Chang SamBSChua Chu Kang (ran in Sepoy Lines)1959Wee Toon BoonPAPA. P. RajahSAPFarrer Park1959S. RajooPAPS. RamaswamyPAPBukit Merah1959Lim Huan BoonBSSeow Peck LengSAPMountbatten (ran in Joo Chiat)1959Fong Kim HengPAPTan Kia GanPAPPaya Lebar1959Kow Kee SengBSTeo Hock GuanBSChangi (ran in Stamford)1959Fong Sip CheePAPThio Chan BeeSAPTanglin1959E. W. BarkerPAP Aftermath and analysis thumb|upright|The Sunday Times the day after the 1963 election, reporting on the results. The PAP won a landslide victory, securing 37 seats and retaining its two-thirds majority in the Legislative Assembly. This result had been uncertain in the lead-up to the vote, and while the PAP emerged as the clear winner, its overall vote share was only 46.93%, the lowest in its history. Several key factors contributed to this outcome despite strong competition from BS.Men in White: The Untold Story of Singapore's Ruling Political Party Sonny Yap Richard Lim Leong Weng Kam 2010 Singapore Press Holdings Singapore One major reason was the PAP's last-minute warning that if BS formed the government, the federal government in Kuala Lumpur could respond by sending troops into Singapore and enforcing emergency powers. Many voters were also concerned that BS' opposition to merger with Malaya would jeopardise such negotiations. Support for merger was strong among the public, and BS' alignment with Indonesia and the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) raised further alarm, especially as Indonesia had declared a Konfrontasi and begun provocative military activity in Borneo. The English-educated middle class, worried about the rise of communism, voted tactically for the PAP after the left-wing split that created BS. The PAP also gained credit for its achievements in government since 1959. These included the construction of 26,000 flats by the Housing and Development Board (HDB), a reduction in unemployment and expanded investment in public services. Many voters saw continued PAP rule as essential for stability and progress. Although the opposition secured a total of 14 seats, both BS and UPP failed to win most of the constituencies they contested because of the split among anti-PAP voters. Additionally, 16 incumbent candidates were defeated, and the PAP experienced some notable losses, including cabinet ministers K. M. Byrne and Tan Kia Gan in Crawford and Paya Lebar respectively, marking the first time a cabinet minister had lost in their own constituency. This would not happen again until 2011, 48 years and 11 elections later, when cabinet ministers Lim Hwee Hua and George Yeo were defeated in their constituency of Aljunied. In the aftermath of the election, the PAP government passed a constitutional amendment stipulating that legislators who resign or are expelled from the parties they were elected under would lose their seats, in order to discourage future defections. As a result, by-elections were subsequently held in Hong Lim in 1965, seven constituencies in 1966 and five constituencies in 1967. Those victories resulted PAP in achieving a parliament monopoly that would last for the next 15 years until the first elected opposition MP in 1981. The changes during the 1963–1968 parliamentary term remains the biggest turnover of MPs in post-independence Singapore. Federal government response The Singapore Alliance Party also lost all seven seats it had held before dissolution. The federal Malaysian prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and the rest of UMNO were shocked by the Alliance's wipeout in the election. The Alliance which ruled the federal government had expected strong support from the Malay Singaporean electorate, as was the case in Peninsular Malaysia, but the PAP swept all of UMNO's Malay dominated constituencies, including Kampong Kembangan, Geylang Serai and the Southern Islands. Tunku attributed the setback to "traitors" within Singapore UMNO and among sections of the Singaporean Malay community. On 27 September, Tunku declared that he would "personally direct" UMNO's affairs in Singapore and play "an important part" in its future election campaigns. This deepened mistrust between the PAP state government and the Malaysian federal government, and became one of the factors leading to Singapore's expulsion two years later.Singapore’s separation from Malaysia https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=9641f35d-3ae5-41d8-9fa6-7ca8b845ea53 National Library Board The Secretary General of UMNO, Syed Jaafar Albar, reacted even more strongly to the defeat, publicly vowing in the Malaysian federal parliament to "fix" Lee Kuan Yew using "both words and fists". Other Malay extremists delivered equally heated speeches at various meetings and alleged that the PAP had "intimidated" Malays into voting against UMNO, with some even burning an effigy of Lee at a meeting in Singapore to display their anger. The Singapore Alliance became dormant in 1965,https://sg-elections.com/political-parties/sa.html Background of Singapore Alliance Singapore Elections 8 July 2012 27 July 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200727061139/http://www.singapore-elections.com/political-parties/sa.html live and the Singapore People's Alliance, one of its membership parties, was dissolved on 16 May 1965, shortly before Singapore's independence from Malaysia on 9 August 1965.https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19630923-1.2.11 Defeat in Singapore shocks Tengku 23 September 1963 The Straits Times https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail National Library Board Chia Joshua Y.J. Labour Front Distribution of Singapore's seats in the Dewan Rakyat The distribution of 15 seats from Singapore in Malaysia's lower house of Parliament, the Dewan Rakyat, was based on the outcome of the election. PAP was allocated 12, which were given to Prime Minister Lee, Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye, ministers Goh Keng Swee, Ong Pang Boon, S. Rajaratnam, Yong Nyuk Lin, Jek Yeun Thong, Lim Kim San, Othman Wok and assembly members Abdul Rahim Ishak, Wee Toon Boon and Ho See Beng. BS was allocated 3, which were given to Chia Thye Poh, Lim Huan Boon and Kow Kee Seng.https://sg-elections.com/general-election/1963/ LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY GENERAL ELECTION 1963 Singapore Elections 5 April 2020 6 June 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200606092101/http://singapore-elections.com/general-election/1963/ live https://www.parlimen.gov.my/files/hindex/pdf/DR-02111963.pdf PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DEWAN RA'AYAT (HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES) OFFICIAL REPORT Dewan Rakyat 19 August 2019 Notes See also List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1963–68) References Singapore Category:State elections in Malaysia Category:General elections in Singapore Category:Singapore in Malaysia