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1959 Malayan general election

{{Short description|none}}

{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1959 Malayan general election

| country = Malaya

| type = parliamentary

| previous_election = 1955 Malayan general election

| previous_year = 1955

| previous_mps = Members of the Federal Legislative Council (1955–59)

| next_election = 1964 Malaysian general election

| next_year = 1964

| elected_mps = Members of the Dewan Rakyat, 2nd Malaysian Parliament

| seats_for_election = All 104 seats in the Dewan Rakyat

| election_date = 19 August 1959

| majority_seats = 53

| registered = 2,133,272

| turnout = 73.34%

| image_size = 130x130px

| image1 = Tunku Abdul Rahman 1960.jpg

| leader1 = Tunku Abdul Rahman

| party1 = Alliance Party (Malaysia)

| popular_vote1 = 800,944

| percentage1 = 51.77%

| swing1 = {{decrease}} 29.91pp

| last_election1 = 81.68%, 51 seats

| seats1 = 74

| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 23

| image2 = Burhanuddin_al-Helmy.jpg

| leader2 = Burhanuddin al-Helmy

| party2 = PMIP

| popular_vote2 = 329,070

| percentage2 = 21.27%

| swing2 = {{increase}} 17.21pp

| last_election2 = 4.06%, 1 seat

| seats2 = 13

| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 12

| image3 = Ahmad Boestamam.jpg

| leader3 = {{nowrap|Ahmad Boestamam}}

| party3 = Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front

| popular_vote3 = 199,688

| percentage3 = 12.91%

| swing3 = {{increase}} 12.43pp

| last_election3 = 0.48%, 0 seats

| seats3 = 8

| seat_change3 = {{increase}} 8

| image4 =

| leader4 = D. R. Seenivasagam

| party4 = PPP

| popular_vote4 = 97,391

| percentage4 = 6.29%

| swing4 = {{increase}} 6.18pp

| last_election4 = 0.11%, 0 seats

| seats4 = 4

| seat_change4 = {{increase}} 4

| image5 = Onn Jaafar (cropped 4to3 portrait).jpg

| leader5 = Onn Jaafar

| party5 = Parti Negara

| popular_vote5 = 32,578

| percentage5 = 2.11%

| swing5 = {{decrease}} 5.77pp

| last_election5 = 7.88%, 0 seats

| seats5 = 1

| seat_change5 = {{increase}} 1

| image6 = MP

| leader6 = Tan Kee Gak

| party6 = Malayan Party

| popular_vote6 = 13,404

| percentage6 = 0.87%

| swing6 = New

| last_election6 = –

| seats6 = 1

| seat_change6 = New

| map_image = Malaya election results map 1959.svg

| map_caption = Results by constituency

| title = Prime Minister

| posttitle = Prime Minister-designate

| before_election = Tunku Abdul Rahman

| before_party = Alliance Party (Malaysia)

| after_election = Tunku Abdul Rahman

| after_party = Alliance Party (Malaysia)

}}

General elections were held in the Federation of Malaya on Wednesday, 19 August 1959 for members of the first Parliament of the Federation of Malaya,Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p152 {{ISBN|0-19-924959-8}} the first parliamentary election in Malaya. It was the third national-wide election held in Malaya since the end of World War II. Malaya later formed Malaysia with three other states in 1963. Voting took place in all 104 parliamentary constituencies of Malaya, each electing one Member of Parliament to the Dewan Rakyat, the dominant house of Parliament. Voter turnout was 73%.

In the election, the Alliance Party – later Barisan Nasional – emerged as the victor. The party was a coalition formed by United Malays National Organisation, Malayan Chinese Association and Malayan Indian Congress. The coalition won 74 out of 104 seats in the Dewan Rakyat with only 52% of the total vote. The opposition as a whole won 30 seats with 48% of the vote.

The 71% majority allowed Alliance Party to form a government as sanctioned by the constitution of Malaya.

When results were announced on the morning of 20 August, only 103 seats were returned as elections in the Kedah Tengah (Central Kedah) constituency was delayed until 30 September.Arkib Negara: [http://hids.arkib.gov.my/doc/2001/ogos/23_08_1959_2001.htm Pembentukan Kabinet Yang Pertama Selepas Merdeka]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (in Malay) The Alliance proceeded to win this seat with Khir Johari as the winning candidate.

Prior to the parliamentary election, state elections took place in all 282 state constituencies in 11 states of Malaya from 20 May to 24 June 1959, each electing one Member to the State Legislative Assembly, the Dewan Undangan Negeri. As a result, PAS took over the administration of Terengganu and Kelantan but served only 2 terms before being retaken by Alliance.

Three Alliance candidates contested unopposed

Timelines

=Dewan Rakyat=

Source:{{Cite web |title=HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/Malaysia_Federal_Elections_Summary.csv at main · TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS |url=https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/Malaysia_Federal_Elections_Summary.csv |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=GitHub |language=en}}

  • Nomination date: 15 July 1959
  • Election day: 19 August 1959

=State legislative assemblies=

class=wikitable

! State !! Nomination Date !! State election

{{flag|Perlis}}15 April 195920 May 1959
{{flag|Kedah}}15 April 195920 May 1959
{{flag|Malacca}}18 April 195923 May 1959
{{flag|Perak}}22 April 195927 May 1959
{{flag|Selangor}}25 April 195930 May 1959
{{flag|Negeri Sembilan}}28 April 19592 June 1959
{{flag|Penang}}2 May 19596 June 1959
{{flag|Johor}}6 May 195910 June 1959
{{flag|Pahang}}13 May 195927 June 1959
{{flag|Terengganu}}16 May 195920 June 1959
{{flag|Kelantan}}20 May 195924 June 1959

Results

{{Election results

|image=File:Malayan_Parliament_1959.svg

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=4|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=552595|seats1=52|sc1=+18

|party2=Malayan Chinese Association|votes2=229229|seats2=19|sc2=+4

|party3=Malayan Indian Congress|votes3=19120|seats3=3|sc3=+1

|atotal4=800944|aseats4=74|sc4=+23

|alliance5=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes5=329070|seats5=13|sc5=+12

|alliance6=Malayan Peoples'
Socialist Front|aspan6=3|party6=Labour Party of Malaya|votes6=146608|seats6=6|sc6=+6

|party7=Parti Ra'ayat|votes7=53080|seats7=2|sc7=New

|atotal8=199688|aseats8=8|sc8=New

|alliance9=People's Progressive Party||votes9=97391|seats9=4|sc9=+4

|alliance10=Parti Negara|votes10=32578|seats10=1|sc10=+1

|alliance11=Malayan Party|votes11=13404|seats11=1|sc11=New

|alliance12=Independents|votes12=74194|seats12=3|sc12=+3

|invalid=17306

|total_sc=+52

|electorate=2133272

|source=Nohlen et al.

[https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv] [http://www.arkib.gov.my/web/guest/pilihan-raya-umum-pertama-tahun-1959][http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Page/straitstimes19590820-1.1.16.aspx][http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Page/beritaharian19590821-1.1.6.aspx][http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Page/freepress19590820-1.1.9.aspx]

{{Cite news |title=ALL THE FEDERAL ELECTION RESULTS |date=1959-08-20 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/freepress19590820-1.2.81 |access-date=2025-03-05 |work=Singapore Free Press |pages=9 |language=en}}

}}Registered voters above refers to total voters of the contested constituencies. Total electorate for the 1959 elections is 2177755 which includes uncontested parliamentary constituencies of Port Dickson, Johore Tenggara and Kemaman.

Information for the division of voters between Labour Party of Malaya and Parti Ra'ayat is limited

=By state=

{{Main|Results of the 1959 Malayan general election by parliamentary constituency}}

Source:{{Cite web |title=HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv at main · TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS |url=https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=GitHub |language=en}}

== Johore ==

{{Election results

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=3|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=98394|seats1=11|sc1=+7

|party2=Malayan Chinese Association|votes2=41825|seats2=5|sc2=+2

|atotal3=140219|iseats3=16|sc3=+2

|alliance4=Malayan Peoples'
Socialist Front|aspan4=3|party4=Labour Party of Malaya|votes4=25810|seats4=0|sc4=

|party5=Parti Ra'ayat|votes5=4501|seats5=0|sc5=

|atotal6=30311|aseats6=0|sc6=

|alliance7=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes7=4992|seats7=0|sc7=

|alliance8 = People's Progressive Party|votes8=2162|seats8=0|sc=

|alliance9= Parti Negara|votes9=19931|seats9=0|sc9=

|alliance10 =Independent|votes10=15878|seats10=0|sc10=

|invalid=2534

|total_sc=0

|electorate=280244

|source=Tindak Malaysia's Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}The registered voters refers to total voters of the contested constituencies.Total electorate of Johor including uncontested constituency of Johore Tenggara is 291230 voters.

== Kedah ==

{{Election results

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=3|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=105918|seats1=10|sc1=+6

|party2=Malayan Chinese Association|votes2=22047|seats2=2|sc2=0

|atotal3=127965|iseats3=12|sc3=+6

|alliance5=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes5=52235|seats5=0|sc5=0

|alliance6=Malayan Peoples'
Socialist Front|aspan6=3|party6=Labour Party of Malaya|votes6=7235|seats6=0|sc6=New

|party7=Parti Ra'ayat|votes7=6907|seats7=0|sc7=New

|atotal8=14142|iseats8=0|sc8=New

|alliance12=Independents|votes12=1605|seats12=0|sc12=0

|total_sc=+6|

invalid=2481

|electorate=268115|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1964-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYSIA_1964_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}

== Kelantan ==

{{Election results

|party1=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes1=116087|seats1=9|sc1=+9

|party2=United Malays National Organisation|votes2=53382|seats2=1|sc2=–4

|party3=Parti Negara|votes3=292|seats3=0|sc3=–4

|total_sc=+5

|invalid=1446

|electorate=240522

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}

== Malacca ==

{{Election results

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=3|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=22378|seats1=2|sc1=+1

|party2=Malayan Chinese Association|votes2=21808|seats2=1|sc2=0

|atotal3=44186|iseats3=3|sc3=+1

|alliance4=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes4=12133|seats4=0|sc4=

|alliance6=Malayan Party|votes6=9396|seats6=1|sc6=New

|alliance7=Malayan Peoples'
Socialist Front|aspan7=3|party7=Labour Party of Malaya|votes7=5812|seats7=0|sc7=

|party8=Parti Ra'ayat|votes8=2872|seats8=0|sc8=

|atotal9=8684|aseats9=0|sc9=

|alliance10=Independent|votes10=265|seats10=0|sc1

|total_sc=+2|

invalid=680

|electorate=93737

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}

== Negeri Sembilan ==

{{Election results

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=4|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=32164|seats1=3|sc1=+1

|party2=Malayan Indian Congress|votes2=3409|seats2=1|sc2=New

|party3=Malayan Chinese Association|votes3=2061|seats3=0|sc3=–1

|atotal4=37634|iseats4=4|sc4=+1

|alliance5=Malayan Peoples'
Socialist Front|aspan5=2|party5=Labour Party of Malaya|votes5=7934|seats5=0|sc5=

|atotal7=7934|aseats7=0|sc7=

|alliance8=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes8=12103|seats8=0|sc8=New

|alliance9 =Parti Negara|votes9=4369|seats9=0|sc9=

|alliance10=Independents|votes10=10607|seats10=2|sc10=+2

|total_sc=+3

|invalid=756

|electorate=95573

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}Registered voters shown above refers to the total number of voters of contested constituencies. Actual elctorate size of Negeri Sembilan is 111336 voters which includes uncontesed constituency of Port Dickson.

==Pahang==

{{Election results

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=3|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=44143|seats1=5|sc1=+2

|party2=Malayan Chinese Association|votes2=8643|seats2=1|sc2=New

|atotal3=52786|iseats3=6|sc3=+3

|alliance4=Malayan Peoples'
Socialist Front|aspan4=3|party4=Labour Party of Malaya|votes4=11806|seats4=0|sc4=

|party5=Parti Ra'ayat|votes5=5130|seats5=0|sc5=

|atotal6=16936|aseats6=0|sc6=

|alliance7=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes7=9169|seats7=0|sc7=0

|total_sc=+3|

invalid=790

|electorate=109535

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}

== Penang ==

{{Election results

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=3|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=31756|seats1=3|sc1=+1

|party2=Malayan Chinese Association|votes2=28493|seats2=2|sc2=0

|atotal3=60249|iseats3=5|sc3=+1

|alliance4=Labour Party of Malaya|votes4=52237|seats4=3|sc4=+3

|alliance5=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes5=14829|seats5=0|sc5=0

|alliance6=People's Progressive Party|votes6=3899|seats6=0|sc6=New

|alliance7=Independents|votes7=5569|seats7=0|sc7=0

|total_sc=+4|

invalid=1358

|electorate=188668

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}

== Perak ==

{{Election results

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=4|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=77147|seats1=9|sc1=+4

|party2=Malayan Chinese Association|votes2=69592|seats2=5|sc2=+2

|party3=Malayan Indian Congress|votes3=7317|seats3=1|sc3=0

|atotal4=154056|iseats4=15|sc4=+6

|alliance5=People's Progressive Party|votes5=83509|seats5=4|sc5=+1

|alliance6=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes6=47757|seats6=0|sc6=–1

|alliance7=Malayan Peoples'
Socialist Front|aspan7=3|party7=Labour Party of Malaya|votes7=1452|seats7=0|sc7=

|party8=Parti Ra'ayat|votes8=7410|seats8=0|sc8=

|atotal9=8862|aseats9=0|sc9=

|alliance10=Independents|votes10=16296|seats10=1|sc10=+1

|total_sc=+10|

invalid=3881

|electorate=449969

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}

== Perlis ==

{{Election results

|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=17653|seats1=2|sc1=+1

|party2=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes2=11950|seats2=0|sc2=New

|invalid=223

|electorate=38355

|total_sc=+1

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}

== Selangor ==

{{Election results

|alliance1=Alliance Party|aspan1=4|party1=United Malays National Organisation|votes1=44423|seats1=5|sc1=+1

|party2=Malayan Chinese Association|votes2=34760|seats2=3|sc2=0

|party3=Malayan Indian Congress|votes3=8394|seats3=1|sc3=New

|atotal4=87577|iseats4=9|sc4=+2

|alliance5=Malayan Peoples'
Socialist Front|aspan5=3|party5=Labour Party of Malaya|votes5=34322|seats5=3|sc5=0

|party6=Parti Ra'ayat|seats6=2|votes6=25665|sc6=New

|atotal7=59987|iseats7=5|sc7=New

|alliance8=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes8=15691|seats8=0|sc8=0

|alliance9=People's Progressive Party|votes9=7821|seats9=0|sc9=0

|alliance10=Malayan Party|votes10=4008|seats10=0|sc10=0

|alliance11=Independent|votes11=22477|seats11=0|sc11=0

|total_sc=+7|

invalid=2259

|electorate=271360

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}

== Terengganu ==

{{Election results

|party1=Pan-Malayan Islamic Party|votes1=32124|seats1=4|sc1=New

|party2=United Malays National Organisation|votes2=25237|seats2=1|sc2=–2

|party3=Parti Negara|votes3=7986|seats3=1|sc3=+1

|party4=Parti Ra'ayat|votes4=595|seats4=0|sc4=New

|party5=Independents|votes5=1497|seats5=0|sc5=New

|total_sc=+3|

invalid=898

|electorate=97164

|source=Tindak Malaysia Githubhttps://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

}}The registered voters above refer to total voters of contested constituencies. The total electorate of Trengganu is 114898 which includes uncontested parliamentary constituency of Kemaman

=State Assemblies=

{{Main|1959 Malayan state elections}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20071030025113/http://www.spr.gov.my/index/undi1959.asf Documentary video about the 1959 elections] Government of Malaysia (in Malay)

{{Malaysian elections}}

Category:General elections in Malaysia

Malaya

General

Category:Political history of Malaya

Category:August 1959 in Asia