PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION 1997

This was another opportunity for Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to gain a better mandate after PAP's considerably poorer showing in GE1991, despite an endorsement in BE1992. Two seats in PAP-held Eunos and Toa Payoh GRCs had been vacated after the death of Dr Tay Eng Soon and installation of Deputy PM Ong Teng Cheong as Singapore's President respectively. The latter GRC, which twice saw narrow wins against WP, was dispersed into neighbouring constituencies. Main opposition SDP was facing serious internal strife with former SDP leader and Member of Parliament Chiam See Tong suing its Central Executive Committee, including new leader Dr Chee Soon Juan and its other two MPs, SDP Chairman Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen, for defamation. Prior to nomination day, Chiam resigned from SDP and crossed over to SPP, a party founded by ex-SDP members. Two opposition candidates came under fire from PAP - Dr Chee and Tang Liang Hong, standing on the WP ticket with its Secretary-general J. B. Jeyaretnam, who was accused of being an anti-Christian Chinese chavunist. GRCs were increased to up to six members and a "HDB upgrading" carrot was dangled as a pricy stake for voters. Election deposit increased by another $2, 000. PAP reversed its electoral decline after four GEs and for the first time since independence officially won an opposition ward, recapturing both SDP seats out of the four it lost in the last GE. With Chiam's defection, SDP lost all representation in Parliament since 1984. Low Thia Khiang, now WP Assistant Secretary-general was re-elected while Jeyaretnam, defeated marginally in Cheng San GRC, returned to the house since 1986 as Non-constituency MP. Tang fled the country after being hit with lawsuits by PAP leaders. Later, in June 1997, as Nominated MPs were re-appointed, the number was increased from six to nine.

8th Parliament dissolution: 16 December 1996 [Mon]
Nomination day: 23 December 1996 [Mon]
Polling day: 2 January 1997 [Thu]
9th Parliament commencement: 26 May 1997 [Mon]

Eligible voters: 1,881,011
Voters in walkover constituencies: 1,115,679 (59.3%)
Total voters: 765,332 (40.7%)
Total voter turnout: 734,000 (95.9%)

Election deposit: $8,000 (+33.3%)

RESULTS
Single member constituencies	Group representation constituencies
Ayer Rajah	Aljunied GRC [5]	Marine Parade GRC [6]
Boon Lay	Ang Mo Kio GRC [5]	Pasir Ris GRC [4]
Bukit Gombak	Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC [5]	Sembawang GRC [6]
Chua Chu Kang	Bukit Timah GRC [5]	Tampines GRC [4]
Hougang	Cheng San GRC [5]	Tanjong Pagar GRC [6]
Kampong Glam	East Coast GRC [6]	West Coast GRC [4]
MacPherson	Hong Kah GRC [5]
Nee Soon Central	Jalan Besar GRC [4]
Potong Pasir	Kreta Ayer-Tanglin GRC [4]
Total seats = 83