1959 Malayan general election

1959 Malayan general election

19 August 1959
All 104 seats in the Dewan Rakyat 53 seats needed for a majority
Registered	2,133,272
Turnout	73.34%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Tunku Abdul Rahman Burhanuddin al-Helmy Ahmad Boestamam Party Alliance PMIP Socialist Front Last election 81.68%, 51 seats 4.06%, 1 seat 0.48%, 0 seats Seats won 74 13 8 Seat change 23 12 8 Popular vote 800,944 329,070 199,688 Percentage 51.77% 21.27% 12.91% Swing 29.91pp 17.21pp 12.43pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   MP Leader D. R. Seenivasagam Onn Jaafar Tan Kee Gak Party PPP National Party Malayan Party Last election 0.11%, 0 seats 7.88%, 0 seats – Seats won 4 1 1 Seat change 4 1 New Popular vote 97,391 32,578 13,404 Percentage 6.29% 2.11% 0.87% Swing 6.18pp 5.77pp New
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before election Tunku Abdul Rahman Alliance Prime Minister-designate Tunku Abdul Rahman Alliance

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,^[1] 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.^[2] 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:^[3]

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

State legislative assemblies

State	Nomination Date	State election
Perlis	15 April 1959	20 May 1959
Kedah	15 April 1959	20 May 1959
Malacca	18 April 1959	23 May 1959
Perak	22 April 1959	27 May 1959
Selangor	25 April 1959	30 May 1959
Negeri Sembilan	28 April 1959	2 June 1959
Penang	2 May 1959	6 June 1959
Johor	6 May 1959	10 June 1959
Pahang	13 May 1959	27 June 1959
Terengganu	16 May 1959	20 June 1959
Kelantan	20 May 1959	24 June 1959

Results

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	552,595	35.71	52	+18
			Malayan Chinese Association	229,229	14.82	19	+4
			Malayan Indian Congress	19,120	1.24	3	+1
		Total		800,944	51.77	74	+23
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			329,070	21.27	13	+12
	Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front		Labour Party of Malaya	146,608	9.48	6	+6
			Parti Ra'ayat	53,080	3.43	2	New
		Total		199,688	12.91	8	New
	People's Progressive Party			97,391	6.29	4	+4
	Parti Negara			32,578	2.11	1	+1
	Malayan Party			13,404	0.87	1	New
	Independents			74,194	4.80	3	+3
Total				1,547,269	100.00	104	+52
Valid votes				1,547,269	98.89
Invalid/blank votes				17,306	1.11
Total votes				1,564,575	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				2,133,272	73.34
Source: Nohlen et al. [1] [2][3][4][5] [4]

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 article: Results of the 1959 Malayan general election by parliamentary constituency

Source:^[5]

Johore

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	98,394	46.09	11	+7
			Malayan Chinese Association	41,825	19.59	5	+2
		Total		140,219	65.68	16	+2
	Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front		Labour Party of Malaya	25,810	12.09	0	–
			Parti Ra'ayat	4,501	2.11	0	–
		Total		30,311	14.20	0	–
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			4,992	2.34	0	–
	People's Progressive Party			2,162	1.01	0	–
	Parti Negara			19,931	9.34	0	–
	Independent			15,878	7.44	0	–
Total				213,493	100.00	16	0
Valid votes				213,493	98.83
Invalid/blank votes				2,534	1.17
Total votes				216,027	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				280,244	77.09
Source: Tindak Malaysia's Github[6]

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

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	105,918	54.05	10	+6
			Malayan Chinese Association	22,047	11.25	2	0
		Total		127,965	65.31	12	+6
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			52,235	26.66	0	0
	Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front		Labour Party of Malaya	7,235	3.69	0	New
			Parti Ra'ayat	6,907	3.52	0	New
		Total		14,142	7.22	0	New
	Independents			1,605	0.82	0	0
Total				195,947	100.00	12	+6
Valid votes				195,947	98.75
Invalid/blank votes				2,481	1.25
Total votes				198,428	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				268,115	74.01
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[7]

Kelantan

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party	116,087	68.38	9	+9
	United Malays National Organisation	53,382	31.45	1	–4
	Parti Negara	292	0.17	0	–4
Total		169,761	100.00	10	+5
Valid votes		169,761	99.16
Invalid/blank votes		1,446	0.84
Total votes		171,207	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		240,522	71.18
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[8]

Malacca

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	22,378	29.97	2	+1
			Malayan Chinese Association	21,808	29.21	1	0
		Total		44,186	59.18	3	+1
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			12,133	16.25	0	–
	Malayan Party			9,396	12.58	1	New
	Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front		Labour Party of Malaya	5,812	7.78	0	–
			Parti Ra'ayat	2,872	3.85	0	–
		Total		8,684	11.63	0	–
	Independent			265	0.35	0	–
Total				74,664	100.00	4	+2
Valid votes				74,664	99.10
Invalid/blank votes				680	0.90
Total votes				75,344	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				93,737	80.38
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[9]

Negeri Sembilan

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	32,164	44.27	3	+1
			Malayan Indian Congress	3,409	4.69	1	New
			Malayan Chinese Association	2,061	2.84	0	–1
		Total		37,634	51.80	4	+1
	Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front		Labour Party of Malaya	7,934	10.92	0	–
		Total		7,934	10.92	0	–
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			12,103	16.66	0	New
	Parti Negara			4,369	6.01	0	–
	Independents			10,607	14.60	2	+2
Total				72,647	100.00	6	+3
Valid votes				72,647	98.97
Invalid/blank votes				756	1.03
Total votes				73,403	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				95,573	76.80
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[10]

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

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	44,143	55.95	5	+2
			Malayan Chinese Association	8,643	10.96	1	New
		Total		52,786	66.91	6	+3
	Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front		Labour Party of Malaya	11,806	14.96	0	–
			Parti Ra'ayat	5,130	6.50	0	–
		Total		16,936	21.47	0	–
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			9,169	11.62	0	0
Total				78,891	100.00	6	+3
Valid votes				78,891	99.01
Invalid/blank votes				790	0.99
Total votes				79,681	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				109,535	72.74
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[11]

Penang

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	31,756	23.22	3	+1
			Malayan Chinese Association	28,493	20.83	2	0
		Total		60,249	44.05	5	+1
	Labour Party of Malaya			52,237	38.19	3	+3
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			14,829	10.84	0	0
	People's Progressive Party			3,899	2.85	0	New
	Independents			5,569	4.07	0	0
Total				136,783	100.00	8	+4
Valid votes				136,783	99.02
Invalid/blank votes				1,358	0.98
Total votes				138,141	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				188,668	73.22
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[12]

Perak

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	77,147	24.85	9	+4
			Malayan Chinese Association	69,592	22.41	5	+2
			Malayan Indian Congress	7,317	2.36	1	0
		Total		154,056	49.62	15	+6
	People's Progressive Party			83,509	26.90	4	+1
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			47,757	15.38	0	–1
	Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front		Labour Party of Malaya	1,452	0.47	0	–
			Parti Ra'ayat	7,410	2.39	0	–
		Total		8,862	2.85	0	–
	Independents			16,296	5.25	1	+1
Total				310,480	100.00	20	+10
Valid votes				310,480	98.77
Invalid/blank votes				3,881	1.23
Total votes				314,361	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				449,969	69.86
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[13]

Perlis

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	United Malays National Organisation	17,653	59.63	2	+1
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party	11,950	40.37	0	New
Total		29,603	100.00	2	+1
Valid votes		29,603	99.25
Invalid/blank votes		223	0.75
Total votes		29,826	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		38,355	77.76
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[14]

Selangor

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Alliance Party		United Malays National Organisation	44,423	22.49	5	+1
			Malayan Chinese Association	34,760	17.59	3	0
			Malayan Indian Congress	8,394	4.25	1	New
		Total		87,577	44.33	9	+2
	Malayan Peoples' Socialist Front		Labour Party of Malaya	34,322	17.37	3	0
			Parti Ra'ayat	25,665	12.99	2	New
		Total		59,987	30.36	5	New
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party			15,691	7.94	0	0
	People's Progressive Party			7,821	3.96	0	0
	Malayan Party			4,008	2.03	0	0
	Independent			22,477	11.38	0	0
Total				197,561	100.00	14	+7
Valid votes				197,561	98.87
Invalid/blank votes				2,259	1.13
Total votes				199,820	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				271,360	73.64
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[15]

Terengganu

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Pan-Malayan Islamic Party	32,124	47.63	4	New
	United Malays National Organisation	25,237	37.42	1	–2
	Parti Negara	7,986	11.84	1	+1
	Parti Ra'ayat	595	0.88	0	New
	Independents	1,497	2.22	0	New
Total		67,439	100.00	6	+3
Valid votes		67,439	98.69
Invalid/blank votes		898	1.31
Total votes		68,337	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		97,164	70.33
Source: Tindak Malaysia Github[16]

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 article: 1959 Malayan state elections

References

1. Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p152 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
2. Arkib Negara: Pembentukan Kabinet Yang Pertama Selepas Merdeka^{[permanent dead link‍]} (in Malay)
3. "HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/Malaysia_Federal_Elections_Summary.csv at main · TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS". GitHub. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
4. "ALL THE FEDERAL ELECTION RESULTS". Singapore Free Press. 20 August 1959. p. 9. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
5. "HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv at main · TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS". GitHub. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
6. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
7. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1964-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYSIA_1964_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
8. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
9. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
10. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
11. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
12. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
13. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
14. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
15. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv
16. https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1959-ELECTION-RESULTS/MALAYA_1959_PARLIAMENT_RESULTS.csv

External links

• Documentary video about the 1959 elections Government of Malaysia (in Malay)