1972 Singaporean general election
General elections were held in Singapore on 2 September 1972. The result was a fourth victory for the People's Action Party, which won all 65 seats, the second of four consecutive elections in which they repeated the feat. Voter turnout was 93.5% in the 57 constituencies (which represented 812,926 voters) that were contested,[1] with PAP candidates elected unopposed in the other eight, which represents 95,456 voters.[2]
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All 65 seats to the Parliament of Singapore 33 seats were needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 93.5% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Winning party by constituency. |
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This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Singapore |
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Electoral system
The 65 members of Parliament were elected in 65 single-member constituencies, an increase from 58 in the 1968 elections. Like the previous elections, boundaries and constituencies were carved due to development or population; the newly added constituencies were:
Constituency | Changes |
---|---|
New Constituencies | |
Boon Teck Kim Keat Kuo Chuan | Carved from Toa Payoh |
Bukit Batok | Carved from Bukit Panjang, Bukit Timah and Choa Chu Kang |
Henderson | Carved from Tiong Bahru |
Kim Seng | Carved from Bukit Ho Swee and Delta |
Leng Kee | Carved from Bukit Merah |
Timeline
Date | Event |
---|---|
16 August | Dissolution of 2nd Parliament |
23 August | Nomination Day |
2 September | Polling Day |
12 October | Opening of 3rd Parliament |
Campaign
Unlike the previous elections in 1968, which saw the PAP returning to power after nomination day due to low number of contests (seven out of 58 seats), this election saw contests in all but eight seats. Barisan Sosialis renounced its boycott strategy and attempted to make a comeback, while the Workers' Party saw its rejuvenation with the introduction of its new secretary-general, also lawyer and former district judge, J. B. Jeyaretnam (who would later went to become the inaugural opposition Member of Parliament in 1981); former leader and ex-Chief Minister David Marshall contemplated standing as an independent, but ultimately did not run due to a stingray wound. PAP candidate and architect Ong Teng Cheong, who made his debut in the election, would later serve as a Deputy Prime Minister and also the first-elected (and fifth) President of Singapore.
Describing the alternative opposition parties as having lost their credibility with swerving political manoeuvres, coupled with Singapore's strong economic progress and successful housing development, the PAP declared that Singaporeans no longer saw need for political diversity, claiming that this led to squabbling that would impede its effective governance.
Results
Despite expectations that the PAP would not coast to victory and Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew even anticipating that the PAP winning around 45 seats would be a convincing victory, the PAP still managed to capture every seat in Parliament for the second time.
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | ||
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People's Action Party | 524,892 | 70.4 | 65 | +7 | ||
Workers' Party | 90,885 | 12.2 | 0 | 0 | ||
United National Front | 55,001 | 7.4 | 0 | New | ||
Barisan Sosialis | 34,483 | 4.6 | 0 | New | ||
People's Front | 22,462 | 3.0 | 0 | New | ||
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura | 10,054 | 1.3 | 0 | New | ||
Independents | 7,462 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 15,229 | – | – | – | ||
Total | 760,468 | 100 | 65 | +7 | ||
Registered voters/turnout[lower-alpha 1] | 908,382 | 93.5 | – | – | ||
Source: Nohlen et al., Singapore Elections |
By constituency
Constituency | Electorate | Party | Candidates | Votes | % |
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Alexandra | 24,499 | ![]() |
Wong Lin Ken | 17,965 | 77.52 / 100 |
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Wong Kui Yu | 3,782 | 16.32 / 100 | ||
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S.A. Hamid(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,427 | 6.16 / 100 | ||
Aljunied | 19,278 | ![]() |
Chin Harn Tong | 12,861 | 71.51 / 100 |
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Lim Kang Chew | 4,360 | 24.25 / 100 | ||
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Amir Ali bin Mohamed(Loses $500 deposit) | 762 | 4.24 / 100 | ||
Anson | 8,171 | ![]() |
Perumal Govindaswamy | 5,027 | 74.34 / 100 |
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Tay Kim Oh | 1,291 | 19.09 / 100 | ||
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Paul C. Kunjuraman(Loses $500 deposit) | 444 | 6.57 / 100 | ||
Boon Teck | 15,958 | ![]() |
Phey Yew Kok | 9,947 | 66.75 / 100 |
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Lim Thiam Hock | 4,954 | 33.25 / 100 | ||
Bras Basah | 8,323 | ![]() |
Ho See Beng | Uncontested walkover | |
Bukit Batok | 14,563 | ![]() |
Chai Chong Yii | 9,765 | 73.78 / 100 |
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Rengaswamy Vetrivelu | 3,471 | 26.22 / 100 | ||
Bukit Ho Swee | 12,212 | ![]() |
Seah Mui Kok | 7,862 | 68.77 / 100 |
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Chin Tian Choo | 2,209 | 19.32 / 100 | ||
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Wee Kia Eng(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,361 | 11.91 / 100 | ||
Bukit Merah | 13,960 | ![]() |
Lim Guan Hoo | 9,044 | 69.33 / 100 |
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Kho Jiak Hiong | 2,042 | 15.65 / 100 | ||
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Said bin Jali | 1,958 | 15.02 / 100 | ||
Bukit Panjang | 15,461 | ![]() |
Lee Yiok Seng | 9,527 | 67.65 / 100 |
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Tang Song Khiang | 3,496 | 24.82 / 100 | ||
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Leyu Tan Jib(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,060 | 7.53 / 100 | ||
Bukit Timah | 15,476 | ![]() |
Chor Yeok Eng | 9,475 | 66.78 / 100 |
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Krishnan K. Nair | 4,714 | 33.22 / 100 | ||
Cairnhill | 12,287 | ![]() |
Lim Kim San | 8,458 | 80.92 / 100 |
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Paul Elisha | 1,994 | 19.08 / 100 | ||
Changi | 18,297 | ![]() |
Sim Boon Woo | 10,512 | 62.42 / 100 |
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Normah binte Yahya | 4,917 | 29.20 / 100 | ||
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Omar bin Ninggal(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,412 | 8.38 / 100 | ||
Chua Chu Kang | 15,669 | ![]() |
Tang See Chim | 9,002 | 62.36 / 100 |
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Ng Ah Chue | 5,434 | 37.64 / 100 | ||
Crawford | 9,285 | ![]() |
Ang Kok Peng | 6,040 | 72.60 / 100 |
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Wu Kher | 1,565 | 18.81 / 100 | ||
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N. M. Abdul Wahid(Loses $500 deposit) | 714 | 8.59 / 100 | ||
Delta | 13,781 | ![]() |
Yeo Choo Kok | 9,149 | 70.72 / 100 |
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Wong Hong Toy | 2,186 | 16.90 / 100 | ||
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Abdul Rahim bin Abdul Rahman(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,602 | 12.38 / 100 | ||
Farrer Park | 12,707 | ![]() |
Lee Chiaw Meng | 8,521 | 73.82 / 100 |
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Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam | 2,668 | 23.11 / 100 | ||
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S. A. Latiff(Loses $500 deposit) | 354 | 3.07 / 100 | ||
Geylang East | 16,580 | ![]() |
Ho Cheng Choon | 9,692 | 64.24 / 100 |
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Kum Teng Hock | 4,951 | 32.81 / 100 | ||
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Mohamed Elias bin Ibrahim(Loses $500 deposit) | 445 | 2.95 / 100 | ||
Geylang Serai | 13,837 | ![]() |
Rahmat bin Kenap | 6,711 | 53.59 / 100 |
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Ahmad bin Haji Taff | 4,978 | 39.75 / 100 | ||
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Raja Rom bin Raja Jaafar(Loses $500 deposit) | 833 | 6.66 / 100 | ||
Geylang West | 11,653 | ![]() |
Yong Nyuk Lin | 7,320 | 69.28 / 100 |
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Quek Doh Lam | 3,246 | 30.72 / 100 | ||
Havelock | 10,849 | ![]() |
Hon Sui Sen | 7,151 | 72.65 / 100 |
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Harbans Singh | 2,692 | 27.35 / 100 | ||
Henderson | 9,431 | ![]() |
Lai Tha Chai | 6,577 | 74.43 / 100 |
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Wong Wen Nan | 2,260 | 25.57 / 100 | ||
Hong Lim | 7,486 | ![]() |
Lee Khoon Choy | 4,835 | 73.79 / 100 |
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Wong Kong Hoa | 1,717 | 26.21 / 100 | ||
Jalan Besar | 10,310 | ![]() |
Chan Chee Seng | 7,794 | 83.86 / 100 |
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Johnnie Ng Kong Wah | 1,500 | 16.14 / 100 | ||
Jalan Kayu | 14,982 | ![]() |
Hwang Soo Jin | 8,283 | 59.42 / 100 |
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Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair | 5,137 | 36.86 / 100 | ||
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Ong Seng Kok(Loses $500 deposit) | 518 | 3.72 / 100 | ||
Joo Chiat | 15,684 | ![]() |
Yeoh Ghim Seng | 11,669 | 83.49 / 100 |
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William James Cook | 2,307 | 16.51 / 100 | ||
Jurong | 15,348 | ![]() |
Ho Kah Leong | 10,741 | 76.43 / 100 |
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Ng Soon Hee | 3,312 | 23.57 / 100 | ||
Kallang | 17,232 | ![]() |
Abdul Aziz bin Karim | 12,626 | 79.75 / 100 |
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Sultan Mydin bin Abdul Hamid | 3,205 | 20.25 / 100 | ||
Kampong Chai Chee | 15,564 | ![]() |
Sha'ari bin Tadin | 7,458 | 52.39 / 100 |
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Ng Yang Choo | 4,188 | 29.42 / 100 | ||
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Hashim bin Yadi | 2,590 | 18.19 / 100 | ||
Kampong Glam | 7,542 | ![]() |
Sinnathamby Rajaratnam | Uncontested walkover | |
Kampong Kapor | 9,361 | ![]() |
Yeo Toon Chia | 6,132 | 73.15 / 100 |
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Chng Boon Eng | 2,251 | 26.85 / 100 | ||
Kampong Kembangan | 18,480 | ![]() |
Mohamed Ariff bin Suradi | 9,671 | 57.53 / 100 |
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Othman bin Abdullah | 5,451 | 32.43 / 100 | ||
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Kamaruddin bin Hassan(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,687 | 10.04 / 100 | ||
Kampong Ubi | 15,431 | ![]() |
Ya'acob bin Mohamed | 8,030 | 56.86 / 100 |
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Abdul Rahman bin Mohamed Zin | 5,076 | 35.94 / 100 | ||
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Darus bin Shariff(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,017 | 7.20 / 100 | ||
Katong | 16,766 | ![]() |
Joseph Francis De Conceicao | Uncontested walkover | |
Kim Keat | 14,640 | ![]() |
Ong Teng Cheong | 10,262 | 74.00 / 100 |
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Seow Khee Leng | 3,022 | 21.79 / 100 | ||
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Winston J. Paglar(Loses $500 deposit) | 583 | 4.21 / 100 | ||
Kim Seng | 12,893 | ![]() |
Ong Leong Boon | 8,178 | 67.74 / 100 |
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Heng Swee Tong | 3,895 | 32.26 / 100 | ||
Kreta Ayer | 9,627 | ![]() |
Goh Keng Swee | Uncontested walkover | |
Kuo Chuan | 15,142 | ![]() |
Pathmanaban Selvadurai | 10,523 | 73.69 / 100 |
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P. Manokaran | 3,757 | 26.31 / 100 | ||
Leng Kee | 17,158 | ![]() |
Ahmad bin Mohamed Mattar | 10,929 | 68.28 / 100 |
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Ng Ho | 4,036 | 25.21 / 100 | ||
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N. Loganathan(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,042 | 6.51 / 100 | ||
MacPherson | 15,637 | ![]() |
Chua Sian Chin | 10,117 | 68.76 / 100 |
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Lee Tow Kiat | 4,597 | 31.24 / 100 | ||
Moulmein | 11,144 | ![]() |
Sia Khoon Seong | 7,412 | 72.43 / 100 |
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Cheng Poh Yew | 2,822 | 27.57 / 100 | ||
Mountbatten | 14,396 | ![]() |
Ng Yeow Chong | Uncontested walkover | |
Nee Soon | 17,061 | ![]() |
Ong Soo Chuan | 11,636 | 73.29 / 100 |
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Yap Fatt Shing | 4,240 | 26.71 / 100 | ||
Pasir Panjang | 13,964 | ![]() |
Othman bin Wok | 9,209 | 71.77 / 100 |
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Syed Ahmad bin Syed Husain | 3,623 | 28.23 / 100 | ||
Paya Lebar | 19,102 | ![]() |
Tay Boon Too | 11,073 | 61.59 / 100 |
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Tan Poh Seng | 5,361 | 29.82 / 100 | ||
Independent | Kow Kee Seng(Loses $500 deposit) | 1,545 | 8.59 / 100 | ||
Potong Pasir | 13,103 | ![]() |
Ivan Cuthbert Baptist | 7,772 | 66.22 / 100 |
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Rajaratnam Murugason | 3,391 | 28.89 / 100 | ||
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Harnek Singh(Loses $500 deposit) | 573 | 4.89 / 100 | ||
Punggol | 15,303 | ![]() |
Ng Kah Ting | 8,215 | 58.13 / 100 |
Independent | Ng Teng Kian | 5,917 | 41.87 / 100 | ||
Queenstown | 18,458 | ![]() |
Jek Yeun Thong | 14,200 | 81.24 / 100 |
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Chua Eng Huat | 2,504 | 28.89 / 100 | ||
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Lew Ban Huat(Loses $500 deposit) | 775 | 4.43 / 100 | ||
River Valley | 12,189 | ![]() |
Tan Eng Liang | Uncontested walkover | |
Rochore | 11,589 | ![]() |
Toh Chin Chye | 6,218 | 60.40 / 100 |
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Lee Siew Choh | 4,076 | 39.60 / 100 | ||
Sembawang | 12,217 | ![]() |
Teong Eng Siong | 8,466 | 77.36 / 100 |
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Mohd Arif bin Sahul Hameed | 2,478 | 22.64 / 100 | ||
Sepoy Lines | 12,308 | ![]() |
Wee Toon Boon | 9,160 | 81.30 / 100 |
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Ho Soo Hock | 2,107 | 18.70 / 100 | ||
Serangoon Gardens | 13,836 | ![]() |
Leonard Peter Rodrigo | Uncontested walkover | |
Siglap | 16,091 | ![]() |
Abdul Rahim bin Ishak | 11,456 | 78.63 / 100 |
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Ariffin bin Noordin | 2,529 | 17.36 / 100 | ||
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Yahiya bin Haji Mohamed Ghouse(Loses $500 deposit) | 584 | 4.01 / 100 | ||
Stamford | 8,212 | ![]() |
Andrew Fong Sip Chee | 5,083 | 71.77 / 100 |
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Chiang Seok Keong | 1,999 | 28.23 / 100 | ||
Tampines | 15,302 | ![]() |
Phua Bah Lee | 9,049 | 64.30 / 100 |
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Tan Sim Hock | 5,025 | 35.70 / 100 | ||
Tanglin | 12,777 | ![]() |
Edmund William Barker | Uncontested walkover | |
Tanjong Pagar | 9,946 | ![]() |
Lee Kuan Yew | 7,542 | 84.08 / 100 |
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Leong Mun Kwai | 1,428 | 15.92 / 100 | ||
Telok Ayer | 10,547 | ![]() |
Ong Pang Boon | 7,612 | 83.98 / 100 |
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Ng Oh Chew | 1,452 | 16.02 / 100 | ||
Telok Blangah | 14,624 | ![]() |
N. Naidu Govindasamy | 7,669 | 57.92 / 100 |
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Zainul Abiddin bin Mohd Shah | 4,714 | 35.60 / 100 | ||
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Muthusamy Ramasamy(Loses $500 deposit) | 858 | 6.48 / 100 | ||
Thomson | 18,702 | ![]() |
Ang Nam Piau | 12,378 | 72.55 / 100 |
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Wong Chung Kit | 4,683 | 27.45 / 100 | ||
Tiong Bahru | 17,394 | ![]() |
Ch'ng Jit Koon | 11,991 | 75.62 / 100 |
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Seow Yong Chew | 2,972 | 18.74 / 100 | ||
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Lee Kah Chit(Loses $500 deposit) | 894 | 5.64 / 100 | ||
Toa Payoh | 15,742 | ![]() |
Eric Cheong Yuen Chee | 10,884 | 73.85 / 100 |
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Tay Cheng Kang | 3,853 | 26.15 / 100 | ||
Ulu Pandan | 14,485 | ![]() |
Chiang Hai Ding | 9,378 | 71.83 / 100 |
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Ang Kheng Kwan | 3,678 | 28.17 / 100 | ||
Upper Serangoon | 16,621 | ![]() |
Sia Kah Hui | 11,862 | 77.72 / 100 |
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Lim Kia Joo | 3,401 | 22.28 / 100 | ||
Whampoa | 12,044 | ![]() |
Augustine Tan Hui Heng | 8,773 | 78.55 / 100 |
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Phang Juet Haw | 2,395 | 21.45 / 100 | ||
Source: ELD Singapore Elections |
Notes
- 95,456 of the 908,382 voters were registered in uncontested constituencies
References
- Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p254 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
- Parliamentary general election 1972 Singapore Elections