1957 Singaporean by-elections

1957 Singaporean by-elections

29 June 1957
2 seats to the Legislative Assembly of Singapore
Registered	29,563
Turnout	12,874 (43.55%) 11.16%
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Lee Kuan Yew Tan Chye Cheng Lim Yew Hock Party PAP LSP LF Seats won 1 1 0 Seat change 1 1 popular vote 4,707 3,657 1,118 Percentage 36.99% 28.74% 8.79% Swing 4.18% 7.52% 13.78%   Fourth party   Party Malay Union Seats won 0 Seat change popular vote 983 Percentage 7.73% Swing 7.73%
Assemblymen before election Lee Kuan Yew David Marshall PAP LF Elected Assemblymen Lee Kuan Yew Soh Ghee Soon PAP LSP

A by-election was held on 29 June 1957, with nomination day occurring on 18 May 1957 in both the constituencies of Cairnhill and Tanjong Pagar. Ultimately, Labour Front lost the Cairnhill seat to the new Liberal Socialist Party candidate Soh Ghee Soon, while Tanjong Pagar incumbent Lee Kuan Yew retained his seat.

The by-election had a voter turnout of merely 43.55%, the lowest of any elections during the period between 1948 and 1959. With the introduction of compulsory voting in 1959, the turnout of 43.55% remains the lowest for any elections in Singapore's history.

Background

When talks with the British authorities for self-governance fell, Chief Minister David Marshall resigned his Cairnhill seat and his Labour Front party membership on 7 June 1956; LF representative Keng Bang Ee was fielded as a candidate.

The seat of Tanjong Pagar was vacated when Lee Kuan Yew resigned his seat when Marshall publicly challenged Lee in a by-election, in which Lee accepted. Marshall withdrew his bid prior to nominations citing pressured by speculations of a street protest; Chong Wei Ling became the candidate in Marshall's place.

Ahead of the election, the Singapore Malay Union (SMU) was expelled by its alliance partners consisted of UMNO and MCA. Tengku Muda, a candidate for Cairnhill, was considered by the elections department of Singapore to view him as another independent candidate.

Results

Cairnhill

By-election 1957: Cairnhill

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	LSP	Soh Ghee Soon	2,342	40.28	N/A
	Independent	Goh Kong Beng	1,281	22.03	N/A
	LF	Keng Ban Ee	1,118	19.23	28.35
	Malay Union	Tengku Muda Muhamed bin Mahmud	983	16.90	N/A
	Independent	Mirza Abdul Majid	91	1.56	N/A
Majority			1,061	18.25	7.09
Turnout			5,889	39.79	12.04
	LSP gain from LF		Swing	N/A

Tanjong Pagar

By-election 1957: Tanjong Pagar

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Lee Kuan Yew	4,707	68.13	10.20
	LSP	Chong Wei Ling	1,315	19.03	N/A
	Independent	Koh Choon Hong	887	12.84	N/A
Majority			3,392	49.10	17.43
Turnout			6,985	47.32	10.29
	PAP hold		Swing	N/A

References

• Background of Singaporean 1957 By election^[usurped]
• 1957 By election's result
• Brief History on Singapore Malay Union (Dissolved in 1960s)^[usurped]