1966 Singaporean by-elections

Background

On 8 December 1965, about four months into independence, BS began to boycott Parliament in response to the current legislature and its democracy as "phony". Lim Huan Boon resigned his Bukit Merah Constituency seat on 31 December 1965 as he did not support BS boycotting parliament. By-election nominations were called for Bukit Merah on 8 January. On nomination day, two more MPs, Chio Cheng Thun and Kow Kee Seng, resigned, followed by S. Thendayatha Bani the day after. A further two seats became vacant nine months later on 7 October, with the resignations of Chia Thye Poh and Lee Tee Tong. Two months later on 5 December, five of the remaining seven Barisan MPs, including Loh Miaw Gong also resigned. Another MP, Fong Kim Heng, resigned on 18 October, but Fong was from the PAP unlike the other 11, and cited health reasons.

Chua Chu Kang, Crawford and Paya Lebar constituencies were at stake in the second by-election, with nominations occurring on 1 March. The third by-election were for Bukit Timah, Joo Chiat and Jurong constituencies, with nominations occurring on 2 November. However, these elections went uncontested.

Results

Bukit Merah by-election (18 January)

By-elections of 1 March 1966

By-elections of 2 November 1966

Aftermath of 1966 by-election

The aftermath of the boycott of the Parliament sparked mass arrests under the Internal Security Act (ISA), including that of Chia Thye Poh, who was detained under this act for 22 years without any trial, becoming the world's second-longest incarcerated political prisoner. Oppositions reached a low point, and Barisan Sosialis would begin to fell apart in the succeeding years.

The People's Action Party government would win every parliamentary seats in ensuing elections for the next 15 years, and to date still remained in power, winning at least two-thirds of all Parliamentary seats. The government would not witness opposition presence again until the 1981 Anson by-election.

The election of Jurong Constituency MP Ho Kah Leong set a record of being the youngest MP-elect in Singapore at age 29, a record which has since been surpassed by two MPs, 27-year old Tin Pei Ling in the 2011 general election, and 26-year old Raeesah Khan in the 2020 general election.

References

References

1. Lee, T. H.. (1996). "The Open United Front: The Communist Struggle in Singapore, 1954–1966". Singapore: South Seas Society.
2. (12 January 1966). "Barisan leader: Why I resigned my seat". [[The Straits Budget]].
3. "ELD | 1966 Parliamentary By-election Result".
4. "ELD {{!}} 1966 Parliamentary By-election Results".
5. "ELD {{!}} 1966 Parliamentary By-election Results".
6. "Ho Kah Leong 何家良".
7. "Singapore to see record number of women enter Parliament after GE2020".