| Country: | Singapore |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1976 Singaporean general election |
| Previous Year: | 1976 |
| Outgoing Members: | 4th Parliament of Singapore |
| Next Election: | 1984 Singaporean general election |
| Next Year: | 1984 |
| Elected Members: | 5th Parliament of Singapore |
| Election Date: | 23 December 1980 |
| Registered: | 685,141 |
| Turnout: | 95.50% (0.42pp) |
| Seats For Election: | All 75 seats in Parliament |
| Majority Seats: | 38 |
| Image1: | Prime_Minister_Lee_Kuan_Yew_of_Singapore_Making_a_Toast_at_a_State_Dinner_Held_in_His_Honor,_1975.jpg |
| Leader1: | Lee Kuan Yew |
| Party1: | People's Action Party |
| Last Election1: | 74.09%, 69 seats |
| Seats1: | 75 |
| Seat Change1: | 6 |
| Popular Vote1: | 494,268 |
| Percentage1: | 77.66% |
| Swing1: | 3.57pp |
| Prime Minister | |
| Posttitle: | Prime Minister after election |
| Before Election: | Lee Kuan Yew |
| Before Party: | People's Action Party |
| After Election: | Lee Kuan Yew |
| After Party: | People's Action Party |
General elections were held in Singapore on 23 December 1980. The result was a victory for the People's Action Party, which won all 75 seats, the last of four consecutive elections in which they repeated the feat. Voter turnout was 95%, although this figure represents the turnout in the 38 constituencies to be contested,[1] with PAP candidates earning walkovers in the other 37. 685,141 voters out of the total electorate of 1,290,426 went to vote on the elections.
Prior to this election, a series of by-elections were held in 1977 and 1979 after two and seven MPs, respectively, were vacated; however, the ruling PAP won every seat, allowing nine new candidates, which include Devan Nair and Tony Tan (both would later go on to become Presidents of Singapore) to enter Parliament. During the election, PAP also introduced a few other prominent members, such as future ministers Lee Yock Suan and S. Jayakumar, as well as a backbencher (and later Progress Singapore Party secretary-general and a 2011 presidential candidate) Tan Cheng Bock.
On 2 April the following year, then-President of National Trades Union Congress, Phey Yew Kok, resigned his Boon Teck seat after Phey was initially charged from a funding fraud of trade union funds, and left Singapore to avoid a bail; however, Lee chose not to call a by-election in his place since the current Parliament term was due to end.
| Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 December | Dissolution of 4th Parliament | |
| 13 December | Nomination Day | |
| 23 December | Polling Day | |
| 3 February 1981 | Opening of 5th Parliament |
The school streaming system, as well as Phey's fraud, became highlights of the campaign for the election.
Independent candidate Chiam See Tong, who made his political debut in the previous election, founded Singapore Democratic Party on 8 September, and would later go on to win Potong Pasir Constituency on the 1984 election on his third attempt (his first attempt was in the by-election last year) after the retirement of incumbent and cabinet minister Howe Yoon Chong.
A total of 43 opposition candidates went on to contest in 38 constituencies, which was nearly half of the total, with United People's Front representing the most number of candidates at 14. This was the first election (of the only three in history, with the other being 2006 and 2011) none of the candidates ran as Independents.
See main article: List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1980–84). Similar to previous elections, constituencies were either dissolved or created due to population. The constituencies which saw changes were:[2] [3]
| Constituency | Changes | |
|---|---|---|
| New Constituencies | ||
| Ayer Rajah Clementi West Coast | Carved from Bukit Timah | |
| Carved from Serangoon Gardens | ||
| Carved from Kampong Chai Chee | ||
| Carved from Ang Mo Kio | ||
| Carved from Bedok and Changi | ||
| Defunct Constituencies | ||
| Ward was absorbed to Moulmein and Cairnhill | ||
| Ward was absorbed to Geylang Serai | ||
| Ward was absorbed to Serangoon Gardens and Paya Lebar | ||
| Constituency | Electorate | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra | 18,163 | bgcolor= | People's Action Party | Tan Soo Khoon | Unopposed | ||
| Aljunied | 17,017 | bgcolor= | People's Action Party | Chin Harn Tong | 13,313 | 84.59 | |
| bgcolor= | [Singapore United Front|United Front
|Sim Peng Kim
|align=right|2,425
|align=right|15.41
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Ang Mo Kio SMC|Ang Mo Kio]]| rowspan="2" align=right|22,542|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Yeo Toon Chia|align=right|17,436|align=right|81.99|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Ang Bee Lian|align=right|3,830|align=right|18.01|-| rowspan="2" |Anson| rowspan="2" align=right|15,077|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Devan Nair|align=right|11,564|align=right|84.10|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|John Santhirasekaran P. M. Thevar|align=right|2,187|align=right|15.90|-| rowspan="2" |Ayer Rajah| rowspan="2" align=right|15,787|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Tan Cheng Bock|align=right|12,400|align=right|83.39|-|bgcolor=||Singapore Justice Party|Suib bin Abdul Rahman|align=right|2,470|align=right|16.61|-| rowspan="3" |Bedok| rowspan="3" align=right|20,852|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|S. Jayakumar|align=right|14,691|align=right|75.03|-|bgcolor=||Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura|Abdul Rahman bin Mohamed Zin|align=right|3,527|align=right|18.01|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Thomas Anthony Tay|align=right|1,362|align=right|6.96|-| rowspan="2" |Boon Lay| rowspan="2" align=right|21,317|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Goh Chee Wee|align=right|15,005|align=right|74.19|-|bgcolor=||[Singapore United Front|United Front
|Tan Chee Kien
|align=right|5,220
|align=right|25.81
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Boon Teck Single Member Constituency|Boon Teck]]| rowspan="2" align=right|18,705|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Liew Kok Pun|align=right|11,917|align=right|68.14|-|bgcolor=||Barisan Sosialis|Lee Siew Choh|align=right|5,571|align=right|31.86|-|Braddell Heights|align=right|14,519|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lee Khoon Choy| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Brickworks|align=right|13,054|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ahmad Mattar| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Bukit Batok|align=right|18,275|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Chai Chong Yii| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Bukit Ho Swee|align=right|12,435|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Seah Mui Kok| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Bukit Merah|align=right|19,046|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lim Chee Onn| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Bukit Panjang| rowspan="2" align=right|23,305|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lee Yiok Seng|align=right|18,510|align=right|87.03|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Mohamed Sani bin Ahmad|align=right|2,759|align=right|12.97|-|Bukit Timah|align=right|15,334|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Chor Yeok Eng| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Buona Vista|align=right|17,287|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ang Kok Peng| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Cairnhill| rowspan="2" align=right|18,133|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Wong Kwei Cheong|align=right|11,444|align=right|71.79|-|bgcolor=||Singapore Democratic Party|Fok Tai Loy|align=right|4,498|align=right|28.21|-|Changi|align=right|25,464|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Teo Chong Tee| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Cheng San| rowspan="2" align=right|17,044|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lee Yock Suan|align=right|12,312|align=right|75.89|-|bgcolor=||Workers' Party|Choong Chee Kwong|align=right|3,911|align=right|24.11|-|Chong Boon|align=right|13,877|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Rajagopal Sitaram Chandra Das| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Chua Chu Kang|align=right|22,363|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Tang See Chim| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Clementi| rowspan="2" align=right|15,129|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Bernard Chen Tien Lap|align=right|12,162|align=right|85.42|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Singh Munjeet|align=right|2,076|align=right|14.58|-|Delta|align=right|14,830|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Yeo Choo Kok| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Geylang Serai| rowspan="2" align=right|19,962|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Othman bin Haron Eusofe|align=right|13,195|align=right|71.99|-|bgcolor=||[Singapore United Front|United Front
|Seow Khee Leng
|align=right|5,134
|align=right|28.01
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Geylang West SMC|Geylang West]]| rowspan="2" align=right|22,298|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Teh Cheang Wan|align=right|17,585|align=right|85.45|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Long bin Abdullah|align=right|2,994|align=right|14.55|-|Havelock|align=right|12,524|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Hon Sui Sen| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Henderson| rowspan="2" align=right|18,353|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lai Tha Chai|align=right|13,363|align=right|77.42|-|bgcolor=||Workers' Party|Lim Kang Chew|align=right|3,897|align=right|22.58|-|Jalan Besar|align=right|15,058|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Chan Chee Seng| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Jalan Kayu| rowspan="2" align=right|23,766|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Hwang Soo Jin|align=right|15,275|align=right|69.02|-|bgcolor=||Workers' Party|Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair|align=right|6,855|align=right|30.98|-| rowspan="2" |Joo Chiat| rowspan="2" align=right|12,805|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Yeoh Ghim Seng|align=right|8,542|align=right|74.18|-|bgcolor=||Singapore Democratic Party|Soon Kia Seng|align=right|2,973|align=right|25.82|-|Jurong|align=right|18,658|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ho Kah Leong| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="3" |Kaki Bukit| rowspan="3" align=right|21,318|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Saidi Shariff|align=right|14,550|align=right|72.32|-|bgcolor=||Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura|Ibrahim bin Ariff|align=right|4,072|align=right|20.24|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Atim bin Ismail|align=right|1,496|align=right|7.44|-|Kallang|align=right|16,222|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|S. Dhanabalan| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Kampong Chai Chee| rowspan="2" align=right|20,237|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Andrew Fong Sip Chee|align=right|15,421|align=right|81.22|-|bgcolor=||[Singapore United Front|[[United Front (Singapore)|United Front]]|Leong Yew Thong|align=right|3,565|align=right|18.78|-|Kampong Glam|align=right|17,241|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|S. Rajaratnam| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Kampong Kembangan| rowspan="2" align=right|15,854|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Mohd Mansor bin Sukaimi|align=right|11,194|align=right|78.74|-|bgcolor=||Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura|Jamal bin Idris|align=right|3,023|align=right|21.26|-| rowspan="3" |Kampong Ubi| rowspan="3" align=right|16,250|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Wan Hussin bin Zoohri|align=right|11,102|align=right|73.87|-|bgcolor=||Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura|Sahid bin Sahooman|align=right|2,813|align=right|18.72|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Shaikh Ahmad bin Shaikh Salim|align=right|1,113|align=right|7.41|-|Katong|align=right|12,041|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Joseph Francis De Conceicao| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="3" |Kebun Baru| rowspan="3" align=right|17,709|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lim Boon Heng|align=right|13,632|align=right|82.83|-|bgcolor=||[Singapore United Front|[[United Front (Singapore)|United Front]]|Lim Tiong Hock|align=right|1,883|align=right|11.44|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Jantan bin Taib|align=right|943|align=right|5.73|-| rowspan="2" |Khe Bong| rowspan="2" align=right|15,425|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ho See Beng|align=right|10,497|align=right|72.42|-|bgcolor=||Barisan Sosialis|Sim Say Chuan|align=right|3,998|align=right|27.58|-|Kim Keat|align=right|20,781|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ong Teng Cheong| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Kim Seng| rowspan="2" align=right|14,734|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Yeo Ning Hong|align=right|11,109|align=right|80.55|-|bgcolor=||Workers' Party|Seow Yong Chew|align=right|2,682|align=right|19.45|-| rowspan="2" |Kolam Ayer| rowspan="2" align=right|22,775|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Sidek Saniff|align=right|16,995|align=right|80.35|-|bgcolor=||[Singapore United Front|United Front
|Mohamed Mansor bin Abdul Rahman
|align=right|4,155
|align=right|19.65
|-
|[[Kreta Ayer Single Member Constituency|Kreta Ayer]]|align=right|11,973|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Goh Keng Swee| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Kuo Chuan| rowspan="2" align=right|17,471|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Pathmanaban Selvadurai|align=right|12,378|align=right|75.92|-|bgcolor=||Barisan Sosialis|Sim Chit Giak|align=right|3,925|align=right|24.08|-|Leng Kee|align=right|15,166|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ow Chin Hock| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |MacPherson| rowspan="2" align=right|18,997|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Chua Sian Chin|align=right|15,280|align=right|86.89|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Darus bin Shariff|align=right|2,306|align=right|13.11|-|Marine Parade|align=right|21,903|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Goh Chok Tong| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Moulmein|align=right|16,999|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Sia Khoon Seong| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Mountbatten|align=right|14,045|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Eugene Yap Giau Cheng| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Nee Soon|align=right|16,817|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Koh Lip Lin| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Pasir Panjang| rowspan="2" align=right|17,743|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Abbas Abu Amin|align=right|11,824|align=right|72.57|-|bgcolor=||Workers' Party|Zainul Abidin|align=right|4,470|align=right|27.43|-|Paya Lebar|align=right|11,666|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Sia Kah Hui| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Potong Pasir| rowspan="2" align=right|10,068|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Howe Yoon Chong|align=right|5,509|align=right|59.05|-|bgcolor=||Singapore Democratic Party|Chiam See Tong|align=right|3,821|align=right|40.95|-| rowspan="2" |Punggol| rowspan="2" align=right|23,333|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ng Kah Ting|align=right|17,103|align=right|78.86|-|bgcolor=||[Singapore United Front|United Front
|Chua Nguan Key
|align=right|4,585
|align=right|21.14
|-
|[[Queenstown Single Member Constituency|Queenstown]]|align=right|17,450|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Jek Yeun Thong| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Radin Mas| rowspan="2" align=right|18,854|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Mohamed Kassim Abdul Jabbar|align=right|11,335|align=right|64.07|-|bgcolor=||Workers' Party|Wong Hong Toy|align=right|6,356|align=right|35.93|-|River Valley|align=right|14,950|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Tay Eng Soon| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Rochore|align=right|14,705|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Toh Chin Chye| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Sembawang| rowspan="2" align=right|17,785|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Tony Tan|align=right|13,415|align=right|81.55|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Harbans Singh|align=right|3,035|align=right|18.45|-|Serangoon Gardens|align=right|16,973|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lau Teik Soon| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Siglap| rowspan="2" align=right|16,675|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Abdul Rahim Ishak|align=right|11,564|align=right|77.91|-|bgcolor=||Workers' Party|Royston George Scharenguivel|align=right|3,278|align=right|22.09|-| rowspan="2" |Tampines| rowspan="2" align=right|18,982|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Phua Bah Lee|align=right|15,065|align=right|85.92|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Kasim bin Ibrahim|align=right|2,469|align=right|14.08|-|Tanah Merah|align=right|15,711|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lee Chiaw Meng| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Tanglin|align=right|13,332|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Edmund W. Barker| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="3" |Tanjong Pagar| rowspan="3" align=right|13,765|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lee Kuan Yew|align=right|11,730|align=right|92.74|-|bgcolor=||[Singapore United Front|United Front
|Johnny Wee Lai Seng
|align=right|555
|align=right|4.39
|-
|bgcolor=#5688AB|
|United People's Front
|Lee Mun Hung
|align=right|363
|align=right|2.87
|-
|[[Telok Ayer Single Member Constituency|Telok Ayer]]|align=right|12,381|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ong Pang Boon| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Telok Blangah| rowspan="2" align=right|18,314|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Rohan bin Kamis|align=right|9,187|align=right|53.02|-|bgcolor=||Workers' Party|J. B. Jeyaratnam|align=right|8,141|align=right|46.98|-|Thomson|align=right|14,786|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Chau Sik Ting| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-|Tiong Bahru|align=right|18,077|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Ch'ng Jit Koon| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Toa Payoh| rowspan="2" align=right|13,799|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Eric Cheong Yuen Chee|align=right|9,872|align=right|76.73|-|bgcolor=||Barisan Sosialis|Ng Ho|align=right|2,994|align=right|23.27|-|Ulu Pandan|align=right|22,048|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Chiang Hai Ding| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |West Coast| rowspan="2" align=right|18,949|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Wan Soon Bee|align=right|15,185|align=right|84.43|-|bgcolor=||Singapore Justice Party|Muthusamy Ramasamy|align=right|2,801|align=right|15.57|-|Whampoa|align=right|19,131|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Augustine Tan Hui Heng| colspan="2" |Unopposed|-| rowspan="2" |Yio Chu Kang| rowspan="2" align=right|14,012|bgcolor=||People's Action Party|Lau Ping Sum|align=right|11,607|align=right|87.53|-|bgcolor=#5688AB||United People's Front|Lachhu S. Piaro|align=right|1,653|align=right|12.47|- class=sortbottom| colspan="7" |Source: ELD|}References | ||||||