Singaporean general election, 1984
Encyclopedia
General elections were held in Singapore
on 22 December 1984. The result was a victory for the People's Action Party
, which won 77 of the 79 seats, marking the first time since 1963 that they had not won every seat. Voter turnout was 95.6%, although this figure represents the turnout in the 49 constituencies to be contested, with PAP candidates earning walkovers in the other 30.
speech, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
lamented that declining birth rates and large number of graduate women remaining single or not marrying their intellectual equal could see Singapore's talent pool shrink. The PAP government then proceeded to launch the "Graduate Mother Scheme
" to entice graduate women with incentives to get married. These were said to have caused a big dip in PAP's support for this GE and its share of votes plunged by more than 10% to below 70%, the biggest fall and the lowest for PAP since the 1963 General Election.
No by-election was held for the seat of Havelock, vacated in 1983 upon the demise of Minister of Finance Hon Sui Sen
, for the reason that the constituency would be re-aligned in the election.
PM Lee's son and future prime minister Lee Hsien Loong
made his debut in the seat of Teck Ghee, while PAP stalwarts Dr Goh Keng Swee
and Ong Pang Boon
stepped down. In the only election among several preceding and succeeding ones, election deposit remained unchanged. The Workers' Party of Singapore
(WP) retained, with an increased majority, its sole Anson seat of leader J. B. Jeyaretnam while the Singapore Democratic Party
made its first in-road into Parliament with the victory of Chiam See Tong
, who would hold onto the Potong Pasir Single Member Constituency
in many years to come. A new Non-Constituency Member of Parliament scheme was introduced whereby between three and six seats, the exact number decided by the President of Singapore, would be offered to unsuccessful opposition candidates with the best scores and who garner at least 15% of the votes if any one party wins all the seats, subtracting one NCMP seat for every one opposition MP elected. Opposition parties dismissed the scheme for misleading voters into thinking that they could have opposition MPs without voting for them. WP's candidate M.P.D. Nair was eligible for NCMP but declined, which was then offered to the Singapore United Front's Tan Chee Kien, who did the same, and no further offers were made.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on 22 December 1984. The result was a victory for the People's Action Party
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
, which won 77 of the 79 seats, marking the first time since 1963 that they had not won every seat. Voter turnout was 95.6%, although this figure represents the turnout in the 49 constituencies to be contested, with PAP candidates earning walkovers in the other 30.
Background
In his 1983 National Day RallyNational Day Rally
The National Day Rally is an annual address that the Prime Minister of Singapore makes to the entire nation, on the second Sunday after August 9, the country's National Day...
speech, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
lamented that declining birth rates and large number of graduate women remaining single or not marrying their intellectual equal could see Singapore's talent pool shrink. The PAP government then proceeded to launch the "Graduate Mother Scheme
Population control in Singapore
Population control in Singapore spans two distinct phases: first to slow and reverse the boom in births that started after World War II; and then, from the 1980s onwards, to encourage parents to have more children because birth numbers had fallen below replacement levels...
" to entice graduate women with incentives to get married. These were said to have caused a big dip in PAP's support for this GE and its share of votes plunged by more than 10% to below 70%, the biggest fall and the lowest for PAP since the 1963 General Election.
No by-election was held for the seat of Havelock, vacated in 1983 upon the demise of Minister of Finance Hon Sui Sen
Hon Sui Sen
Hon Sui Sen was born in Penang in the British Straits Settlements.-Early life:A Hakka, he was educated at Saint Xavier's Institution. Hon was top-placed in the 1932 Senior Cambridge Certificate Examination...
, for the reason that the constituency would be re-aligned in the election.
PM Lee's son and future prime minister Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew....
made his debut in the seat of Teck Ghee, while PAP stalwarts Dr Goh Keng Swee
Goh Keng Swee
Goh Keng Swee was the second Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1973 and 1984, and a Member of Parliament for the Kreta Ayer constituency for a quarter of a century. Born in Malacca in the Straits Settlements into a Peranakan family, he came to Singapore at the age of two years...
and Ong Pang Boon
Ong Pang Boon
Ong Pang Boon was a prominent first generation People's Action Party politician in Singapore.-Early life and education:Born in Kuala Lumpur, he was educated in a Chinese primary school, a Confucian middle school, Methodist Boys' School , and later attained a geography degree at the then...
stepped down. In the only election among several preceding and succeeding ones, election deposit remained unchanged. The Workers' Party of Singapore
Workers' Party of Singapore
The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
(WP) retained, with an increased majority, its sole Anson seat of leader J. B. Jeyaretnam while the Singapore Democratic Party
Singapore Democratic Party
The Singapore Democratic Party is an opposition political party in Singapore.The party was founded in 1980 by Chiam See Tong, who as Secretary-General became the party's first Member of Parliament in 1984 when he was elected as MP for Potong Pasir...
made its first in-road into Parliament with the victory of Chiam See Tong
Chiam See Tong
Chiam See Tong is a politician and lawyer from Singapore. He is the country's longest-serving opposition Member of Parliament . Between 1984 and 2011, he represented the constituency of Potong Pasir in Singapore's Parliament....
, who would hold onto the Potong Pasir Single Member Constituency
Potong Pasir Single Member Constituency
Potong Pasir Single Member Constituency is a Single Member Constituency in the central region of Singapore.-Location:The SMC encompasses Potong Pasir, Lorong 8 Toa Payoh and Tannery...
in many years to come. A new Non-Constituency Member of Parliament scheme was introduced whereby between three and six seats, the exact number decided by the President of Singapore, would be offered to unsuccessful opposition candidates with the best scores and who garner at least 15% of the votes if any one party wins all the seats, subtracting one NCMP seat for every one opposition MP elected. Opposition parties dismissed the scheme for misleading voters into thinking that they could have opposition MPs without voting for them. WP's candidate M.P.D. Nair was eligible for NCMP but declined, which was then offered to the Singapore United Front's Tan Chee Kien, who did the same, and no further offers were made.
Results
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People's Action Party People's Action Party The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959.... |
568,310 | 64.8 | 77 | |
| Workers' Party Workers' Party of Singapore The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of... |
110,939 | 12.7 | 1 | |
| Singapore United Front | 87,197 | 9.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Singapore Democratic Party Singapore Democratic Party The Singapore Democratic Party is an opposition political party in Singapore.The party was founded in 1980 by Chiam See Tong, who as Secretary-General became the party's first Member of Parliament in 1984 when he was elected as MP for Potong Pasir... |
32,102 | 3.7 | 1 | |
| United People's Front | 27,217 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Barisan Sosialis Barisan Sosialis The Barisan Sosialis is a former Singaporean left-wing political party formed in 1961, by left-wing members of the People's Action Party and led by Dr Lee Siew Choh and Lim Chin Siong.-Formation:... |
24,212 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Singapore Justice Party Singapore Justice Party The Justice Party, Singapore is a political party in Singapore.The party has been based mostly in Marine Parade district of Singapore since the party has taken part in general elections after 1988 by fielding its candidates only at Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency... |
10,906 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Singapore Malay National Organisation Singapore Malay National Organisation The Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura is a political party in Singapore. The party recently concluded their AGM on 8th August 2010. The current president is Mr Ali bin Asjadi, while the party's secretary general is Mr Mohd Nazem Suki.-External links:*Related Links:... |
4,768 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Angkatan Islam | 359 | 0.0 | 0 | New |
| Independents | 10,586 | 1.2 | 0 | New |
| Invalid/blank votes | 26,384 | |||
| Total | 909,980 | 100 | 79 | +4 |
| Source: Nohlen et al | ||||