Malay Union

Defunct Singaporean political party
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The Malay Union (Malay: Kesatuan Melayu) was a political party in Singapore from 1926 to 1960.

History

The party was established on 14 May 1926 as a religious and cultural organisation for the Malay community.[1][2] Ishak bin Ahmad was one of the founding member of the party.[2]

In 1954 the Malay Union, Democratic Labour Party and Singapore Socialist Party allied and formed the Labour Front.[3] When a decision was made to merge into a single party, the Malay Union withdrew from the alliance and joined the Singapore Alliance alongside the United Malays National Organisation (whose Singaporean branch had been founded by the leaders of the Malay Union) and the Malayan Chinese Association.[1]

In the 1955 general elections the party nominated a single candidate,[1] Inche Sidik, in the Southern Islands constituency. He was elected with 50.6% of the vote.[4]

The party fielded a candidate in the 1957 by-election in Cairnhill, receiving 17% of the vote. However, the party had previously agreed with the other Alliance members not to field a candidate, and was subsequently expelled from the Alliance for doing so.[1]

After trying but failing to form an alliance with the Pan-Malayan Islamic Party and Parti Rakyat, the MU contested the 1959 general elections alone.[1] By this time the party was led by Muda Muhamed Mahmud, as Sidik had left to join the UMNO.[5] It nominated three candidates, but received only 0.5% of the voting, failing to win a seat.

After the Societies Ordinance came into force in 1960, it failed to re-register.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Malay Union Singapore elections
  2. ^ a b Medrano, Anthony (1 April 2021). "Ishak Ahmad and the Story of Malayan Waters". BiblioAsia. Singapore: National Library Board. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  3. ^ Labour Front Singapore Elections
  4. ^ Legislative Assembly general election 1955: Southern Islands Singapore Elections
  5. ^ Singapore election candidates (M) Singapore Elections
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Parenthesis indicate seats represented in the Parliament of Singapore
Active
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Unrepresented
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Defunct
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Notes: *The MPs of the Progress Singapore Party are Non-Constituency MPs. † The party has yet to contest in an election.