1979 Singaporean by-elections

The by-election was held on 10 February 1979 while the nomination day was held on 31 January 1979.

Anson by-election, 1979

10 February 1979
1 seat to the Parliament of Singapore
Candidate Johnny Wee Lai Seng Devan Nair Party DPP PAP Popular vote 1,300 8,127 Percentage 13.8% 86.2%
MP before election Govindaswamy Perumal PAP Elected MP Devan Nair PAP

Mountbatten by-election, 1979

10 February 1979
1 seat to the Parliament of Singapore
Candidate Seow Khee Leng Eugene Yap Giau Cheng Party DPP PAP Popular vote 2,642 10,528 Percentage 20.1% 79.9%
MP before election Ng Yeow Chong PAP Elected MP Eugene Yap Giau Cheng PAP

Potong Pasir by-election, 1979

10 February 1979
1 seat to the Parliament of Singapore
Candidate Chiam See Tong Howe Yoon Chong Party Independent PAP Popular vote 4,491 9,056 Percentage 33.2% 66.8%
MP before election Ivan Cuthbert Baptist PAP Elected MP Howe Yoon Chong PAP

Sembawang by-election, 1979

10 February 1979
1 seat to the Parliament of Singapore
Candidate Harbans Singh Tony Tan Keng Yam Party UPF PAP Popular vote 3,528 12,824 Percentage 21.6% 78.4%
MP before election Teong Eng Siong PAP Elected MP Tony Tan PAP

Telok Blangah by-election, 1979

10 February 1979
1 seat to the Parliament of Singapore
Candidate Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam Rohan bin Kamis Party Worker's Party PAP Popular vote 8,036 12,687 Percentage 38.8% 61.2%
MP before election Bernard Rodrigues PAP Elected MP Rohan bin Kamis PAP

Nee Soon by-election, 1979

10 February 1979
1 seat to the Parliament of Singapore
Candidate Koh Lip Lin Party PAP Popular vote Uncontested
MP before election Ong Soo Chuan PAP Elected MP Koh Lip Lin PAP

Geylang West by-election, 1979

10 February 1979
1 seat to the Parliament of Singapore
Candidate Teh Cheang Wan Party PAP Popular vote Uncontested
MP before election Yong Nyuk Lin PAP Elected MP Teh Cheang Wan PAP

For the Anson Single Member Constituency (SMC), People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Devan Nair defeated Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Johnny Wee Lai Deng with 86.2% of valid votes. Devan Nair was declared to be the MP for Anson SMC.

For the Mountbatten SMC, People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Eugene Yap Giau Cheng defeated Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Seow Khee Leng with 79.9% of valid votes. Eugene Yap Giau Cheng was declared to be the MP for Mountbatten SMC.

For Potong Pasir SMC, PAP candidate Howe Yoon Chong defeated Independent candidate Chiam See Tong with 66.8% of valid votes. Howe Yoon Chong was declared to be the MP for Potong Pasir SMC.

For Sembawang SMC, PAP candidate Tony Tan Keng Yam defeated United People's Front (UPF) candidate Harbans Singh with 78.4% of valid votes. Tony Tan Keng Yam was declared to be the MP for Sembawang SMC.

For Telok Blangah SMC, PAP candidate Rohan bin Kamis defeated Worker's Party (WP) candidate Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam with 61.2% of valid votes. Rohan bin Kamis was declared to be the MP for Telok Blangah SMC.

For Nee Soon SMC, PAP candidate Koh Lip Lin was declared to be the MP for Nee Soon SMC due to Uncontested walkover.

For Geylang West SMC, PAP candidate Teh Cheang Wan was declared to be the incumbent MP for Geylang West SMC due to Uncontested walkover.

Background

Similar to 1970 by election, as part of the People's Action Party continuous initiative to renew its ranks, the PAP had invited six instead of five veteran PAP Ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs) to resign. Also, with the demise of Anson's MP P. Govindaswamy, the 1979 by-election is regarded as the biggest-ever by-election in Singapore's history where there are seven seats namely Anson, Geylang West, Mountbatten, Nee Soon, Potong Pasir, Sembawang and Telok Blangah up for grabs. This by-election also sees the introduction of two prominent candidates: the first was Tony Tan Keng Yam, who would be assumed the role of the Cabinet Minister after the by-election victory in Sembawang, and later went on to become the 7th Deputy Prime Minister from 1995, and the 7th President of Singapore from 2011; the second was Chiam See Tong, who made his debut on Potong Pasir would later be elected for that area on his third attempt in the 1984 General elections with his second attempt made on the next year's general election.

Since this is the biggest ever by election in Singapore's history, therefore key opposition stalwarts emerged to contest with the exception of Barisan Sosialis which was then criticised by United People's Front (Singapore) and left the only two constituencies out of seven, namely Nee Soon and Geylang West to be uncontested.

Election deposit

The election deposit was set at $1200. Similar to previous elections, the election deposit will be forfeited if the particular candidate had failed to secure at least 12.5% or one-eighth of the votes.

Results

By-election 1979: Anson

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Chengara Veetil Devan Nair	8,127	86.2	N/A
	UF	Johnny Wee Lai Seng	1,300	13.8	N/A
Majority			6,827	72.4	N/A
Turnout			9,694	86.2	N/A
	PAP hold		Swing	N/A

By-election 1979: Geylang West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Teh Cheang Wan	Walkover
Majority
Turnout			20,874
	PAP hold		Swing	N/A

By-election 1979: Mountbatten

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Eugene Yap Giau Cheng	10,528	79.9	+14.0
	UF	Seow Khee Leng	2,642	20.1	-14.0
Majority			7,886	59.8	+28
Turnout			13,536	94.9	-0.4
	PAP hold		Swing	+14.0

By-election 1979: Nee Soon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Koh Lip Lin	Walkover
Majority
Turnout			15,932
	PAP hold		Swing	N/A

By-election 1979: Potong Pasir

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Howe Yoon Chong	9,056	66.8	-8.0
	Independent	Chiam See Tong	4,491	33.2	+33.2
Majority			4,565	33.6	-16
Turnout			13,854	94.2	+0.6
	PAP hold		Swing	-8.0

By-election 1979: Sembawang

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Tony Tan Keng Yam	12,824	78.4	-5.2
	United People's Front	Harbans Singh	3,528	21.6	+5.2
Majority			9,296	56.8	-10.4
Turnout			16,714	94.6	-0.2
	PAP hold		Swing	-5.2

By-election 1979: Telok Blangah

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Rohan bin Kamis	12,687	61.2	N/A
	WP	Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam	8,036	38.8	N/A
Majority			4,651	22.4	N/A
Turnout			21,089	95.0	N/A
	PAP hold		Swing	N/A

References

• Background of 1979 By election
• Results of 1979 By election