1st Parliament of Singapore
| 1st Parliament of Singapore | |||||
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Composition at the start of the 1st Parliament of Singapore
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| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Parliament of Singapore | ||||
| Meeting place | Old Parliament House | ||||
| Term | 8 December 1965 – 8 February 1968 (2 years and 2 months) | ||||
| Government | People's Action Party | ||||
| Opposition | Barisan Sosialis (boycotted) | ||||
| Parliament of Singapore | |||||
| Members | 51 | ||||
| Speaker | A. P. Rajah (until 1966) Punch Coomaraswamy (from 1966) | ||||
| Leader of the House | Toh Chin Chye | ||||
| Prime Minister | Lee Kuan Yew | ||||
| Leader of the Opposition | Lim Huan Boon (until 1965) Chia Thye Poh (1966) | ||||
| Party control | PAP supermajority | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
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The 1st Parliament of Singapore was a meeting of the Parliament of Singapore. It commenced its first and only session on 8 December 1965 and was dissolved on 8 February 1968.[1][2] The session was boycotted by the Barisan Sosialis (BS), refusing to take up their seats in Parliament.
The members of the 1st Parliament had been elected in the 1963 general election to the 3rd Legislative Assembly of Singapore, which was renamed as the Parliament of Singapore following Singapore's independence in 1965.[3] Parliament was controlled by a People's Action Party (PAP) supermajority, led by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his Cabinet. The Speakers were A. P. Rajah and then Punch Coomaraswamy.[4]
The Parliament had 12 changes throughout the term, the most for any Parliament to date as of 2025; 11 members from Barisan Sosialis (BS), alongside Fong Kim Heng as the only PAP's MP, were vacated and precipitated a series of elections between 1966 and 1968.
Officeholders
- Speaker:
- A. P. Rajah, until 5 August 1966
- Punch Coomaraswamy, from 17 August 1966
- Deputy Speaker: Punch Coomaraswamy, until 16 August 1966
- Prime Minister: Lee Kuan Yew (PAP)
- Leader of the Opposition:
- Lim Huan Boon (BS), until 31 December 1965
- Chia Thye Poh (BS), from 1 January 1966 until 7 October 1966
- Leader of the House: Toh Chin Chye (PAP)
- Party Whip of the People's Action Party: Chan Chee Seng
Composition
| Party | Members | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| At start | At dissolution | ||
| People's Action Party | 38 | 49 | |
| Barisan Sosialis | 13 | 2 | |
| Total | 51 | 51 | |
| Government majority | 25 | 47 | |
Members
Notes
- ^ Lim Huan Boon resigned on 31 December 1965.
- ^ Lim Guan Hoo was elected on 18 January 1966.
- ^ Ong Lian Teng resigned on 5 December 1996.
- ^ Lee Tee Tong resigned on 7 October 1966.
- ^ Chor Yeok Eng was elected on 2 November 1966.
- ^ Chio Cheng Thun resigned on 8 January 1966.
- ^ Tang See Chim was elected on 1 March 1966.
- ^ Loh Miaw Gong resigned on 5 December 1966.
- ^ Lim Soo Peng was elected on 24 February 1967.
- ^ Tan Cheng Tong resigned on 5 December 1966.
- ^ Teo Hup Teck was elected on 24 February 1967.
- ^ Fong Kim Heng resigned on 7 October 1966.
- ^ Yeoh Ghim Seng was elected on 2 November 1966.
- ^ Chia Thye Poh resigned on 7 October 1966.
- ^ Ho Kah Leong was elected on 2 November 1966.
- ^ Kow Kee Seng resigned on 8 January 1966.
- ^ Tay Boon Too was elected on 1 March 1966.
- ^ Poh Ber Liak resigned on 5 December 1966.
- ^ Chew Chin Han was elected on 24 February 1967.
- ^ Koo Young resigned on 5 December 1966.
- ^ Ang Nam Piau was elected on 7 March 1967.
References
- ^ "Sessions of Parliament". Parliament of Singapore. 8 June 2017.
- ^ "Radio and TV to record Parliament opening". The Straits Times. 8 December 1965. p. 4 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ "S'pore Parliament". 30 November 1965. p. 9.
- ^ "List of Former Speakers". Parliament of Singapore. 7 August 2017.