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2001 Singaporean general election

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2001 Singaporean general election
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← 1997
3 November 2001
2006 →

All 84 directly elected seats in Parliament (and up to 3 NCMPs)
Registered2,036,923[a]
Turnout94.61% (Decrease 1.30pp)
  First party Second party Third party
  Image Image Image
Leader Goh Chok Tong Chiam See Tong Low Thia Khiang
Party PAP SDA WP
Leader's seat Marine Parade GRC Potong Pasir SMC Hougang SMC
Last election 64.98%, 81 seats – 14.17%, 2 seats
Seats won 82 2 1
Seat change Increase 1 New Decrease 1
Popular vote 470,765 75,248 19,060
Percentage 75.29% 12.03% 3.05%
Swing Increase 10.31pp New Decrease 11.12pp

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Results by constituency

Prime Minister before election

Goh Chok Tong
PAP

Prime Minister after election

Goh Chok Tong
PAP

General elections were held in Singapore on 3 November 2001 to elect members of Parliament. They were the eleventh general elections since the introduction of self-government in 1959 and the ninth since independence in 1965. The number of parliamentary seats increased from 83 to 84 following adjustments to electoral boundaries. With 55 seats won uncontested by the People's Action Party (PAP) on nomination day, the outcome of the elections was effectively determined before polling day for the third consecutive election.

The ruling PAP secured a landslide victory and retained its supermajority by winning all but two of the 84 parliamentary seats, while also increasing its popular vote share for the second consecutive election to 75.29%, its strongest showing since the 1980 election. The only opposition candidates elected were Chiam See Tong of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), who retained his seat in Potong Pasir SMC, and Low Thia Khiang of the Workers' Party (WP), who retained his seat in Hougang SMC. As the opposition secured two elected seats, one Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seat was offered to Steve Chia of the SDA in Chua Chu Kang SMC, who was the best-performing losing opposition candidate. He accepted the seat.

This was Goh Chok Tong's last election as prime minister before he handed over to deputy prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is the son of Lee Kuan Yew, in 2004. Voter turnout in contested constituencies stood at 94.61%, slightly lower from the preceding general election. This election was the first in which the total eligible voter population exceeded 2 million, although only one third of them (675,306 of the 2,036,923 eligible voters) were able to vote due to the large number of walkovers. As of 2025, it remains the most recent general election in which the PAP returned to power on nomination day, as well as the leading opposition party represented in Parliament not being WP.

Background

[edit]

A seat in Jalan Besar GRC was vacated in 1999 following the conviction of People's Action Party (PAP) MP Choo Wee Khiang for cheating. However, no by-election was held, as the vacancy occurred within a group representation constituency (GRC). The responsibilities of Choo's division were instead redistributed among the remaining MPs in the GRC. Under Singapore law, a by-election can only be called in a GRC if all of its seats are vacated. The last instance of this occurring was the Marine Parade GRC by-election in 1992.

Global situation

[edit]

The ruling PAP government led by prime minister Goh Chok Tong had initially planned to hold the election as scheduled in 2002. However, it was brought forward after Singapore experienced an economic slowdown linked to the lingering effects of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the dot-com bubble and the early 2000s recession, which were further worsened by the September 11 attacks in the United States. The 2001 election had the shortest election period in Singapore's history, lasting only 17 days from the release of the electoral boundaries report and the certification of the registers of electors towards polling day. Seeking to renew his mandate swiftly, Goh aimed to secure public confidence amid the downturn.

Effects of the September 11 attacks

[edit]

Earlier on 15 May, five months before the election, the legislature passed a bill to amend the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Act 2001, allowing voting in overseas for the first time.[1] The 2001 elections could've marked the first time overseas voters are allowed to cast their ballots; however, Elections Department announced that the overseas voting and lunchtime rallies will both be cancelled per security concerns, though campaigning in the evening will not be affected. Additional security measures will also apply during campaigning and polling day.[2][3]

As also a result of the economic shifts and inflation, the election deposit was raised sharply by S$5,000 from $8,000 to $13,000, marking one of the largest increases to date.[4] The maximum amount for candidates in terms of campaigning expenses per voter was also raised from $2.50 to $3.[5]

Non-PAP political parties

[edit]

Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA)

[edit]

For the first time since the 1963 election, a formal opposition coalition was formed. Known as the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), comprised four parties: the leading Singapore People's Party (SPP), the National Solidarity Party (NSP), the Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (PKMS) and the Singapore Justice Party (SJP). It was led by SPP secretary-general Chiam See Tong. The SDA fielded 13 candidates in the election, with the NSP contributing nine, the SPP four and the PKMS providing the required Malay minority candidate.

All but one of their contests were straight fights; the sole exception being Bukit Timah SMC, which saw the only three-cornered contest of the election involving the SDA and an independent candidate. According to the SDA, four other opposition parties declined invitations to join the coalition, including the more established Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the Workers' Party (WP). The other two were the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Singapore National Front (SNF), the latter of which had not yet contested any election since its founding in 1991.

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)

[edit]

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) fielded 11 candidates across three constituencies. Its secretary-general Chee Soon Juan and his sister, Chee Siok Chin, led the party's team in the newly created Jurong GRC. Former MPs Cheo Chai Chen (Nee Soon Central SMC) and Ling How Doong (Bukit Gombak SMC), both of whom had served in the 8th Parliament after being elected in the 1991 election, contested in Hong Kah GRC and Nee Soon Central SMC respectively in an effort to return to Parliament.

Workers' Party (WP)

[edit]

Former Workers' Party (WP) Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam, who lost his seat in July 2001 after being declared bankrupt following defamation lawsuits filed by PAP leaders, resigned from the party citing disagreements with its current leadership. The party's only MP, Low Thia Khiang, subsequently assumed the position of secretary-general. On nomination day, the WP was successfully nominated in only two constituencies, Hougang SMC and Nee Soon East SMC.[6]

Its proposed team for Aljunied GRC, comprising chairman Tan Bin Seng, second vice-chairman Huang Seow Kwang (both of whom had contested in Cheng San GRC in 1997) and new members Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, James Gomez and Yaw Shin Leong, was disqualified for submitting incomplete nomination papers.[7][8] Low described the Aljunied team's disqualification as an "oversight" and accepted responsibility for the error. Plans to contest in Ang Mo Kio GRC, East Coast GRC and Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC were also later withdrawn after the party's teams failed to appear at their respective nomination centres, and as a result, the election marked the fewest number of seats contested by the WP in over three decades since the 1968 election, when the party also fielded candidates in only two constituencies during a period when most opposition parties boycotted the polls.[9]

Timeline

[edit]
Date Event
17 OctoberPublication of Electoral Boundaries report; Certification of Registers of Electors
18 OctoberDissolution of 9th Parliament; Writ of Election issued
25 OctoberNomination Day
26 October to 2 NovemberCampaigning Period
3 NovemberPolling Day
25 March 2002Opening of 10th Parliament

Electoral boundaries

[edit]

The report of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) for the 2001 general election was published on 17 October 2001, only a day before the dissolution of Parliament. The 10th Parliament was to return 84 elected Members of Parliament, comprising nine single member constituencies (SMCs), nine five-member group representation constituencies (GRCs) and five six-member GRCs, with all previous four-member GRCs eliminated.

The election saw the introduction of Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC, Jurong GRC (restructured from most of Bukit Timah GRC, with Bukit Timah itself restored as an SMC) and Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (renamed from Pasir Ris GRC and expanded to include the Punggol and Sengkang areas from the dissolved Cheng San GRC). Bukit Timah GRC, Cheng San GRC and Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC were dissolved and their divisions reorganised into new constituencies.

Two SMCs, Bukit Timah and Joo Chiat, were reinstated, while Boon Lay, Bukit Gombak and Kampong Glam were absorbed into neighbouring GRCs. For the first time, certain GRCs retained their exact boundaries from the previous election; specifically Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC and Marine Parade GRC, a pattern that has since recurred in subsequent elections.

Constituency Changes
Aljunied GRCAbsorbed the southern Punggol divisions from Cheng San GRC, and Lorong Halus area/Paya Lebar Air Base from Pasir Ris GRC
Kampong Kembangan division was split into Aljunied-Kembangan and Kembangan-Punggol divisions (the latter absorbed with Punggol East from Cheng San GRC), while Punggol South division was renamed to Aljunied–Hougang
Carved out Changi-Simei division to East Coast GRC and Aljunied division to Marine Parade GRC
Ang Mo Kio GRCWard upsized to six members
Absorbed Cheng San and Jalan Kayu divisions from Cheng San GRC
Ang Mo Kio division was absorbed into Yio Chu Kang and Teck Ghee divisions
East Coast GRCAbsorbed Changi-Simei division from Aljunied GRC
Carved out Joo Chiat division into SMC
Holland–Bukit Panjang GRCNew Constituency
Formed with Ulu Pandan, Bukit Panjang and Buona Vista divisions from Bukit Timah GRC, Sembawang GRC and Tanjong Pagar GRC, respectively
Bukit Panjang divisions was split to include Cashew and Zhenghua divisions, while some of Zhenghua division was split from Tanglin division
Hong Kah GRCAbsorbed Bukit Gombak SMC, and a portion of Chua Chu Kang SMC (to form Keat Hong division)
Carved out Hong Kah East division to Jurong GRC
Hong Kah West was merged into Nanyang division
Jalan Besar GRCWard upsized to five members
Absorbed Kampong Glam SMC, Kreta Ayer and Kim Seng divisions (which would merge into Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng division) from Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC
Geylang West division was absorbed into Kolam Ayer and Jalan Besar divisions
Jurong GRCNew Constituency
Formed from a majority of Bukit Timah GRC (except for Bukit Timah division, which carved into SMC), and Hong Kah East division from Hong Kah GRC
Jurong division was split into Pioneer and Taman Jurong divisions, while Bukit Batok East division was formed from portions of Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak & Bukit Timah divisions
Pasir Ris–Punggol GRCNew Constituency
Formed from Pasir Ris GRC (except for the Pasir Ris South division, which was absorbed into Tampines GRC) and northern Punggol divisions of Cheng San GRC (Punggol Central, North and South)
Sembawang GRCCarved out Nee Soon East division into SMC, and Bukit Panjang division into Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC
Sembawang and Woodlands division were split to include Canberra and Admiralty divisions respectively
Tampines GRCWard upsized to five members
Absorbed Pasir Ris South division from Pasir Ris GRC (renamed to Tampines North)
Tanjong Pagar GRCAbsorbed Moulmein and Tanglin (renamed to Tanglin-Cairnhill) divisions from Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC
Carved out Buona Vista division to Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC
Leng Kee division was absorbed into Queenstown, Radin Mas and Tanglin-Cairnhill divisions
West Coast GRCWard upsized to five members
Absorbed Boon Lay SMC and some of Bukit Timah GRC (Jurong, Joo Koon, Gul Circle and Tuas)
Pasir Panjang division was dissolved into Telok Blangah and West Coast divisions

Nomination centres

[edit]

Following the issuance of the Writ of Election, nine schools and one public building, for a total of ten, were designated as nomination centres:[10]

Nomination centre Electoral division(s)
Fuhua Primary SchoolBukit Timah SMC
Hong Kah GRCM
Jurong GRCM
Greenwood Primary SchoolNee Soon Central SMC
Nee Soon East SMC
Sembawang GRCIO
Kent Ridge Secondary SchoolAyer Rajah SMCM
West Coast GRCIO
Ngee Ann Primary SchoolMacPherson SMC
Marine Parade GRCM
Potong Pasir SMC
Poi Ching SchoolAljunied GRCM
Tampines GRCM
Singapore Conference HallJalan Besar GRCM
Tanjong Pagar GRCIO
Temasek Primary SchoolEast Coast GRCM
Joo Chiat SMC
Townsville Primary SchoolAng Mo Kio GRCIO
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRCIO
West View Primary SchoolChua Chu Kang SMC
Holland-Bukit Panjang GRCIO
White Sands Primary SchoolHougang SMC
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCM
  • A M indicates a GRC requires a Malay/Muslim minority candidate, while IO indicates a GRC requires an Indian or other minority candidate.

As of the latest 2025 election, this was the last known instance where a public building was used as a designated nomination center; subsequent elections would continue to use nine schools as nomination centers.

MPs not standing for re-election

[edit]

24 incumbent MPs retired before the election was announced, which include Bernard Chen, Richard Hu, Ker Sin Tze and Aline Wong; according to Hu, he had originally planned to stand for Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC but ultimately did not do so.

MP Party Constituency Elected in
Bernard Chen PAP West Coast GRC 1977
Kenneth Chen PAP Hong Kah GRC 1991
Peter Chen PAP Hong Kah GRC 1997
Chng Hee Kok PAP East Coast GRC 1984
Goh Chee Wee PAP Boon Lay SMC 1980
Goh Choon Kang PAP Marine Parade GRC 1984
Harun Abdul Ghani PAP Hong Kah GRC 1991
Heng Chiang Meng PAP Cheng San GRC 1984
Ho Tat Kin PAP Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC 1984
Richard Hu PAP Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC 1984
Ibrahim Othman PAP Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC 1984
Ker Sin Tze PAP Aljunied GRC 1991
Lew Syn Pau PAP Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC 1988
Ow Chin Hock PAP Tanjong Pagar GRC 1976
Peh Chin Hua PAP Jalan Besar GRC 1988
Sidek Saniff PAP Aljunied GRC 1976
R. Sinnakaruppan PAP Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC 1991
Tang Guan Seng PAP Ang Mo Kio GRC 1984
Toh See Kiat PAP Aljunied GRC 1997
S. Vasoo PAP Tanjong Pagar GRC 1984
Wan Soon Bee PAP West Coast GRC 1980
Aline Wong PAP Tampines GRC 1984
Eugene Yap PAP Marine Parade GRC 1979

New candidates

[edit]

A total of 40 candidates made their political debut in 2001, including 25 from the PAP. Notable newcomers included future Presidents Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Halimah Yacob[b] (both who also stood in Jurong GRC), future cabinet ministers Gan Kim Yong, Indranee Rajah, Maliki Osman, as well as Balaji Sadasivan, Khaw Boon Wan, Raymond Lim, Ng Eng Hen and Vivian Balakrishnan, who were dubbed by the PAP as the "super seven" alongside Shanmugaratnam and backbencher Cedric Foo.[12] Among the 15 new opposition candidates were Chee Siok Chin, sister of SDP leader Chee Soon Juan; Desmond Lim, who would later head the SDA; and Ooi Boon Ewe, who went on to become a perennial candidate in subsequent elections.

New candidate Party Constituency
Ahmad Khalis Abdul Ghani PAP Hong Kah GRC
Balaji Sadasivan PAP Ang Mo Kio GRC
Chee Siok Chin SDP Jurong GRC
Chong Weng Chiew PAP Tanjong Pagar GRC
Arthur Fong PAP West Coast GRC
Fong Chin Leong SDA Jalan Besar GRC
Cedric Foo PAP West Coast GRC
Foo Kok Wah SDA Tampines GRC
Gan Kim Yong PAP Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC
Halimah Yacob PAP Jurong GRC
Ho Geok Choo PAP West Coast GRC
Indranee Rajah PAP Tanjong Pagar GRC
Khaw Boon Wan PAP Tanjong Pagar GRC
Amy Khor PAP Hong Kah GRC
Warren Lee PAP Sembawang GRC
Arthero Lim SDP Hong Kah GRC
Bryan Lim SDP Hong Kah GRC
Desmond Lim SDA Jalan Besar GRC
Raymond Lim PAP East Coast GRC
Eric Low PAP Hougang SMC
Penny Low PAP Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC
Maliki Osman PAP Sembawang GRC
Mohamed Isa Abdul Aziz SDP Jurong GRC
Mohd Rahizan Yaacob SDA Jalan Besar GRC
Ng Eng Hen PAP Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC
Irene Ng PAP Tampines GRC
Ng Kee How SDA Jalan Besar GRC
Ong Seh Hong PAP Aljunied GRC
Ooi Boon Ewe Independent Joo Chiat SMC
Cynthia Phua PAP Aljunied GRC
Poh Lee Guan WP Nee Soon East SMC
Sitoh Yih Pin PAP Potong Pasir SMC
Tan Kim Chuang Independent Bukit Timah SMC
Sebastian Teo SDA Tampines GRC
Tharman Shanmugaratnam PAP Jurong GRC
Tong Meng Chye SDA Bukit Timah SMC
Vivian Balakrishnan PAP Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC
Vincent Yeo SDP Jurong GRC
Wee Siew Kim PAP Ang Mo Kio GRC
Zainudin Nordin PAP Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC

Results

[edit]

The PAP won a landslide victory, marking its best performance since 1980 and its third highest result since it first gained power in 1959. The PAP secured 75.29% of the vote, reflecting strong public support for its leadership during a period of global uncertainty and economic recession. However, this election also recorded the highest number of walkovers since 1968, reflecting the opposition's unwillingness to mount a serious challenge against the PAP that year. Chong Weng Chiew and Penny Low of the PAP became the first MPs born in post-independence Singapore.

At the time, political apathy among Singaporeans towards a stronger opposition presence in Parliament appeared to be high, with only 29 out of 84 seats contested and the opposition narrowly winning just two of them. While the opposition-held constituencies of Hougang and Potong Pasir from the previous election were retained, both saw reduced majorities, each garnering less than 55% of the vote for the WP and the SDA respectively. The outcome raised concerns that an all-PAP elected Parliament and an "opposition wipeout" for the first time since 1980, which was the PAP's justification of introducing the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) scheme in 1984, was a distinct possibility. With two opposition seats in Parliament, a NCMP seat was offered to and accepted by Steve Chia of the SDA, making him the first NCMP since the scheme's introduction to not be from the WP.

Two candidates, Tan Kim Chuang and Tan Lead Shake, forfeited their $13,000 election deposits. The latter was involved in a straight fight in which Tan Cheng Bock recorded the election's highest contested result of 87.96% in Ayer Rajah SMC.

Popular vote
  1. PAP (75.3%)
  2. SDA (12.0%)
  3. SDP (8.09%)
  4. WP (3.05%)
  5. Others (1.53%)
Elected seats won
  1. 55 seats (PAP; uncontested) (65.5%)
  2. 27 seats (PAP; contested) (32.1%)
  3. 1 seat (SDA) (1.19%)
  4. 1 seat (WP) (1.19%)
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
People's Action Party470,76575.29+10.3182+1
Singapore Democratic Alliance75,24812.03+2.952+1
Singapore Democratic Party50,6078.09–2.5300
Workers' Party19,0603.05–11.1210
Democratic Progressive Party5,3340.85+0.1500
Independents4,2530.68+0.2300
Total625,267100.00–85+1
Valid votes625,26797.87
Invalid/blank votes13,6362.13
Total votes638,903100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,036,92394.61
Source: Singapore Elections[a]
Opposition parties contested vote
Party Votes
WP
 
34.29%
SDA
 
27.61%
SDP
 
20.36%
DPP
 
14.33%
Independents
 
9.85%

By constituency

[edit]
Constituency Seats Electorate Party Candidates Votes %
Aljunied GRC 5 125,115 People's Action Party Ong Seh Hong
Cynthia Phua
Yeo Guat Kwang
George Yeo
Zainul Abidin
Uncontested
Ang Mo Kio GRC 6 166,644 People's Action Party Inderjit Singh
Lee Hsien Loong
Balaji Sadasivan
Seng Han Thong
Tan Boon Wan
Wee Siew Kim
Uncontested
Ayer Rajah SMC 1 18,475 People's Action Party Tan Cheng Bock 15,024 87.96
Democratic Progressive Party Tan Lead Shake 2,057 12.04
Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC 5 114,621 People's Action Party Davinder Singh
Leong Horn Kee
Ng Eng Hen
Wong Kan Seng
Zainudin Nordin
Uncontested
Bukit Timah SMC 1 26,951 People's Action Party Wang Kai Yuen 19,121 77.37
Singapore Democratic Alliance Tong Meng Chye 4,376 17.71
Independent Tan Kim Chuang 1,215 4.92
Chua Chu Kang SMC 1 24,863 People's Action Party Low Seow Chay 15,349 65.34
Singapore Democratic Alliance Steve Chia[c] 8,143 34.66
East Coast GRC 6 144,012 People's Action Party Abdullah Tarmugi
Chew Heng Ching

Lee Yock Suan
Raymond Lim
S. Jayakumar
Tan Soo Khoon
Uncontested
Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC 5 118,834 People's Action Party Gan Kim Yong
Lim Swee Say
David Lim
Teo Ho Pin
Vivian Balakrishnan
Uncontested
Hong Kah GRC 5 129,073 People's Action Party Ahmad Khalis Abdul Ghani
Ang Mong Seng
John Chen
Amy Khor
Yeo Cheow Tong
96,450 79.74
Singapore Democratic Party Cheo Chai Chen
Bryan Lim
Lim Tung Hee
Sarry Hassan
Wong Hong Toy
24,513 20.26
Hougang SMC 1 23,320 Workers' Party Low Thia Khiang 12,070 54.98
People's Action Party Eric Low 9,882 45.02
Jalan Besar GRC 5 100,268 People's Action Party Heng Chee How
Lee Boon Yang
Loh Meng See
Lily Neo
Yaacob Ibrahim
68,309 74.48
Singapore Democratic Alliance Fong Chin Leong
Lim Bak Chuan
Mohd Rahizan Yaacob
Ng Kee How
Sin Kek Tong
23,391 25.51
Joo Chiat SMC 1 21,745 People's Action Party Chan Soo Sen 15,426 83.55
Independent Ooi Boon Ewe 3,038 16.45
Jurong GRC 5 115,113 People's Action Party Foo Yee Shoon
Halimah Yacob
Lim Boon Heng
Ong Chit Chung
Tharman Shanmugaratnam
84,742 79.75
Singapore Democratic Party Chee Siok Chin
Chee Soon Juan
Gandhi Ambalam
Mohamed Isa Abdul Aziz
Vincent Yeo
21,511 20.25
MacPherson SMC 1 22,010 People's Action Party Matthias Yao 16,870 83.73
Democratic Progressive Party Tan Soo Phuan 3,277 16.27
Marine Parade GRC 6 140,174 People's Action Party Gan Lai Chiang
Goh Chok Tong
Mohamad Maidin Packer
Othman Haron Eusofe
R Ravindran
Lim Hwee Hua
Uncontested
Nee Soon Central SMC 1 22,975 People's Action Party Ong Ah Heng 16,755 78.52
Singapore Democratic Party Ling How Doong 4,583 21.48
Nee Soon East SMC 1 28,465 People's Action Party Ho Peng Kee 19,566 73.68
Workers' Party Poh Lee Guan 6,990 26.32
Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC 5 134,151 People's Action Party Ahmad Magad
Charles Chong
Michael Lim
Penny Low
Teo Chee Hean
Uncontested
Potong Pasir SMC 1 16,616 Singapore Democratic Alliance Chiam See Tong 8,107 52.43
People's Action Party Sitoh Yih Pin 7,356 47.57
Sembawang GRC 6 166,137 People's Action Party Chin Tet Yung
Hawazi Daipi
K. Shanmugam
Warren Lee
Maliki Osman
Tony Tan
Uncontested
Tampines GRC 5 125,432 People's Action Party Mah Bow Tan
Irene Ng
Ong Kian Min
Sin Boon Ann
Yatiman Yusof
85,915 73.34
Singapore Democratic Alliance Abdul Rahim Osman
Foo Kok Wah
Neo Ting Wei
Sebastian Teo
Yip Yew Weng
31,231 26.66
Tanjong Pagar GRC 6 141,150 People's Action Party Chay Wai Chuen
Chong Weng Chiew
Indranee Rajah
Khaw Boon Wan
Koo Tsai Kee
Lee Kuan Yew
Uncontested
West Coast GRC 5 110,779 People's Action Party Arthur Fong
Cedric Foo
Ho Geok Choo
Lim Hng Kiang
S. Iswaran
Uncontested
Source: ELD

The 2001 election was the first election with a unified format with five CDCs that have been used till this day. The South West CDC have the most number of candidates fielded in the election, with West Coast GRC being the only constituency for the CDC to be elected as a walkover; nonetheless, South West had the highest contested vote share by CDC. While only one constituency in the Central Singapore CDC had a contest, which is Jalan Besar GRC, the CDC with the fewest contested seats was the North West CDC, with only two, while South East CDC had the next fewest number of seats being contested, with three. The lowest-scoring CDC this election was the North East CDC, being the only CDC polling under 70% of the PAP contested vote. It was the only election where Potong Pasir SMC would be redistricted in the South East CDC, before being redistricted to the Central CDC starting in the next election.

Of the opposition vote share, the other parties outside the largest opposition SDA contributed a combined 12.68% of the overall popular vote, in contrast with SDA's 12.03%.

Votes polled

[edit]
District
PAP SDA SDP Others
Central 74.49% 25.51%
Northeast 68.87% 22.45% 8.68%
Northwest 75.84% 9.57% 14.59%
Southeast 73.33% 14.99% 11.68%
Southwest 78.87% 4.28% 15.73% 1.12%
TOTAL 75.29% 12.03% 8.09% 4.58%

Seats won

[edit]
District Seats
PAP SDA SDP Others
Central 22 22 0
Northeast 16 15 0 1
Northwest 13 13 0 0
Southeast 14 13 1 0
Southwest 18 18 0 0 0
TOTAL 84 82 1 0 1


Analysis

[edit]

Top five best PAP performers

[edit]
  • Constituencies with no comparison to 1997 were either due to them being new constituencies or the constituencies experiencing walkovers in the last election.
#ConstituencyPeople's Action PartyOpposition
Votes % Swing Votes % Swing
1Ayer Rajah SMC15,02487.96Increase14.79Democratic Progressive Party2,05712.04Decrease14.79
2MacPherson SMC16,87083.73Increase18.59Democratic Progressive Party3,27716.27Decrease18.59
3Joo Chiat SMC15,42683.55NewIndependent3,03816.45New
4Jurong GRC84,74279.75NewSingapore Democratic Party21,51120.25New
5Hong Kah GRC96,45079.74Increase10.74Singapore Democratic Party24,51320.26Decrease10.74

Top five best opposition performers

[edit]
  • Constituencies with no comparison to 1997 were either due to them being new constituencies or the constituencies experiencing walkovers in the last election.
ConstituencyOppositionPeople's Action Party
Votes % Swing Votes % Swing
1Hougang SMCWorkers' Party12,07054.98Decrease 3.049,88245.02Increase 3.04
2Potong Pasir SMCSingapore Democratic Alliance8,10752.43Decrease 2.727,35647.57Increase 2.72
3Chua Chu Kang SMCSingapore Democratic Alliance8,14334.66Decrease 3.4215,34965.34Increase 3.42
4Tampines GRCSingapore Democratic Alliance31,23126.66Walkover85,91573.34Walkover
5Nee Soon East SMCWorkers' Party6,99026.32New19,56673.68New

Top five Vote Swings

[edit]
  • Only the following constituencies may be compared with 1997 results as they existed in both elections, although most had changes in their electoral boundaries.
ConstituencyPeople's Action PartyOpposition
1997 % 2001 % Swing Party contesting 1997 % 2001 % Swing
1MacPherson SMC65.14%83.73%Increase 18.59%Democratic Progressive Party34.86%12.27%Decrease 18.59%
2Nee Soon Central SMC61.33%78.52%Increase 17.19%Singapore Democratic Party38.67%21.48%Decrease 17.19%
3Ayer Rajah SMC73.17%87.96%Increase 14.79%Democratic Progressive Party26.83%12.04%Decrease 14.79%
4Hong Kah GRC69.00%79.74%Increase 10.74%Singapore Democratic Party31.00%20.26%Decrease 10.74%
5Jalan Besar GRC67.55%74.48%Increase 6.93%Singapore Democratic Alliance32.45%25.52%Decrease 6.93%

Aftermath

[edit]

Chee–Goh hawker centre incident

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During the campaigning period on 28 October, SDP leader Chee Soon Juan drew widespread public attention after an encounter with Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong at a hawker centre in Hong Kah. Using a megaphone, Chee shouted at Goh, "Where is the $17 billion that you have lent to Suharto?" Later that day at an election rally in Nee Soon Central, Chee referenced Lee Kuan Yew, who was serving as Senior Minister at the time. He concluded his speech with: "...I want to ask Mr Lee Kuan Yew ... So Mr Lee Kuan Yew, I challenge you, tell us about the $17 billion you loaned to Suharto."

In the aftermath of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Singapore provided substantial financial assistance to Indonesia through billions of dollars in loans to stabilise the struggling Indonesian economy, with the country also seeing increasing civil unrest. The Singaporean government considered these loans necessary, as an unstable Indonesia was viewed as potentially having serious negative repercussions for Singapore.[13]

Goh and Lee later filed defamation suits against Chee shortly after the election. Chee lost the lawsuit in 2002 as well as his appeals in 2003 and was ordered to pay damages of S$300,000 to Goh and S$200,000 to Lee. Ahead of the 2006 general election, Chee was declared bankrupt on 10 February, rendering him ineligible to contest. He eventually returned to electoral politics in 2015 after being discharged from bankruptcy in 2012.[14][15]

DPP's expulsions

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Following the election, the DPP announced the expulsion of Tan Soo Phuan and his son Tan Lead Shake from the party for breaching party directives. Tan Soo Phuan failed to inform the party of his decision to contest MacPherson SMC, while Tan Lead Shake ran in Ayer Rajah SMC instead of the designated Joo Chiat SMC. The DPP subsequently become dormant following the expulsions.[16]

Notes

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  1. 1 2 1,361,617 of the 2,036,923 voters were registered in uncontested constituencies, leaving 675,306 voters able to vote.
  2. ↑ Halimah Yacob earlier made a minor political debut in the 1993 Singaporean presidential election as among one of the six assentors to eventual President-elect Ong Teng Cheong.[11]
  3. ↑ Elected as NCMP.

References

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  1. ↑ By the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Act 2001 (No. 19 of 2001 Archived 5 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine) which, according to the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Act (Commencement) Notification 2001 (S 272/2001 Archived 6 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine)
  2. ↑ "Media Release – Election Meeting Sites". Singapore Police Force. 27 April 2006. Archived from the original on 19 June 2006. Retrieved 28 April 2006.
  3. ↑ "Parliamentary Elections (Temporary Suspension of Overseas Voting) Act 2001" (PDF). ELD. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  4. ↑ Peter M. Manikas; Keith Jennings (November 2001). "The Political Process and the 2001 Parliamentary Elections in Singapore" (PDF). ndi.org. National Democratic Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "Parliamentary Elections Act (Amendment of Third Schedule) Order 2001" (PDF). ELD. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Taken at: Workers' Party (WP) election rally at the open ..." www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  7. ↑ "Opposition bungles – two strategic mistakes may cost them". 26 October 2001. Retrieved 7 July 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  8. ↑ "PRESS RELEASE STATEMENT BY RETURNING OFFICER Rejection Of Workers' Party Nomination Papers At Poi Ching Nomination Centre" (PDF). ELD.gov.sg. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  9. ↑ "NewspaperSG Today 26 October 2001". Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  10. ↑ "Writ of Election 2001" (PDF). Retrieved 20 October 2026.
  11. ↑ "The role of Singapore's Elected President". YouTube. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Crop of new office-holders largest since 2001; reshuffle provides for minority succession in Cabinet". The Straits Times. 22 May 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  13. ↑ Thomas Fuller (29 October 1997). "Singapore, Bypassing IMF, Pledges $10 Billion to Indonesia". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Lee Kuan Yew v Chee Soon Juan [2003] SGHC 78". elitigation.sg. High Court of Singapore: Integrated Electronic Litigation System of the judicial system of Singapore. 4 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Goh Chok Tong v Chee Soon Juan [2003] SGHC 79". elitigation.sg. High Court of Singapore: Integrated Electronic Litigation System of the judicial system of Singapore. 4 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "DPP slipper man and father sacked". Today. 2 July 2002. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
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