LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY GENERAL ELECTIONS 1959

This was the first elections for a fully-elected House in self-governing Singapore, after negotiations between the British and Singapore lawmakers finally saw compromise. Chief Minister Lim Yew Hock, who succeeded David Marshall after the latter resigned two years ago, used extreme measures to quell the communists, causing the ground to turn against him. His government was also ridden with corruption. By the time LF's term was up, its credibility was in tatters. To face the polls with a fresh new image, Lim abandoned LF with a large group to form SPA. With only four seats in the previous House, PAP fielded candidates in all seats. For the first time, voting was compulsory. The only general elections with seven-cornered contests, PAP won a landslide victory and opposition leader Lee Kuan Yew became the first Prime Minister of Singapore while Lim, who was to run in his last elections, moved over to head the opposition benches.

Nomination day: 25 April 1959
Polling day: 30 May 1959

Total voters: 586,098
Total voter turnout: 527,919 (92.9%)

Election deposit: $500