SINGAPORE (31.5.1959) (REUTERS)

1.
M.S. CROWD WAITING.


2.
MLS. - DO -


3.
PAN OF WAITING CROWD


4.
MR. LEE KUAN YEW, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE PAP, GOES UP STAIRS TO WATCH COUNTING


5.
CROWD WAVING AND SHOUTING


6.
C.U. LEE KUAN YEW


7.
LEE KUAN YEW, FORMER MAYOR ONG ENG GUAN (GLASSES) AND MR. BAHRUDDIN, ANOTHER VICTORIOUS PAP CANDIDATE (BLACK CAP)


9.
-DO- LEE SPEAKING


9.
-DO-


10.
C.U. THE THREE


11.
C.U. LEE SPEAKING


12.
MCU. LEE KUAN YEW TALKING


13.
CROWD WITH GARLANDS WAITING FOR PAP LEADERS


14.
LEE KUAN YEW WALKING UP TO PARTY SUPPORTERS


15.
PART: SUPPORTERS GARLAND LEE KUAN YEW, ONG ENG GUAN AND OTHER SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES


16.
LEE KUAN YEW GARLANDED, AND MOBBED BY PARTY SUPPORTERS


17.
TACKING SHOT OF CROWD CHAIRING LED KUAN YEW AND OTHERS


18.
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL PAP CANDIDATE CHAIRED


19.
FORMER CHIEF MINISTER DAVID MARSHALL (WHO LOST THE CONTEST TALKING TO PRESSMAN




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: EXPECTANT CROWDS BEGAN TO GATHER AT THE SEVEN COUNTING CENTRES IN SINGAPORE AS SOON AS COUNTING OF VOTES BEGAN IN THE EARLY NIGHT OF MAY 30TH. THE PEOPLE HAD EARLIER IN THE DAY GONE TO THE POLLS TO ELECT A GOVERNMENT UNDER THE NEW CONSTITUTION WHICH GIVES SINGAPORE FULL INTERNAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

ARRIVING AT THE COUNTING CENTRE IS CAMBRIDGE-EDUCATED LAWYER MR. LEE KUAN YEW, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE PEOPLE'S ACTION PARTY, THE ONLY PARTY WHICH CONTESTED ALL THE 51 SEATS IN THE ELECTION.

AND THEN RESULTS BEGAN PURRING IN. IN A FEW HOURS IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE PEOPLE'S ACTION PARTY WAS HEADING FOR A LANDSLIDE VICTORY. WHEN A MAJORITY WAS ALREADY IN SIGHT MR. LEE KUAN YEW TALKED TO PRESSMEN.

TIPPED TO BECOME SINGAPORE'S FIRST PRIME MINISTER (PLEASE CHECK ON THIS - BY THE TIME THE FILM COMES TO YOU. NEWS AGENCY CABLES WOULD GIVE YOU THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS). MR. LEE KUAN YEW WAS JUBILANT AND NO WONDER. THE LAST RESULTS HAD COME IN TO SHOW THAT THE PAP HAD WON 43 OF THE 51 SEATS TROUNCING ITS OPPONENTS BY HUGE MAJORITIES IN MOST OF THE CONSTITUENCIES.

MR. LEE SAID THE PEOPLE'S VERDICT WAS "CLEAR AND DECISIVE IT'S A VICTORY OF RIGHT OVER WRONG, CLEAN OVER DIRTY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OVER EVIL", HE ADDED.

HE SAID THE MAIN QUESTION WAS WHETHER THE PAP WOULD SUCCEED IN ITS FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO GIVE A BETTER DEAL TO THE POORER SECTIONS OF THE POPULATION. THE PLAN ENVISAGES GREATER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STARTING OF INDUSTRIES TO OVERCOME THE INCREASING UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG SINGAPORE'S 1 1/2 MILLION POPULATION.

SINGAPORE NOW LIVES MAINLY BY ENTROPOT TRADE, BUT WITH OTHER NEIGHBOURING TERRITORIES DEVELOPING THEIR OWN CHANNELS OF TRADE, SINGAPORE'S IMPORTANCE IN THIS REGARD IS DECLINING.

LEE KUAN YEW WAS FLANKED BY FORMER MAYOR MR. ONG ENG GUAN (GLASSES) WHO RESIGNED HIS MAYORALTY TO CONTEST FOR THE ASSEMBLY AND MR. BAHRUDDIN, ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL PAP CANDIDATE.

THEN THE LEADERS WALKED UP TO THE JUBILANT SUPPORTERS WHO HAD BY NOW BECOME EXCITED BY THE LANDSLIDE VICTORY OF THEIR PARTY. THE LEADERS WIRE MOBBED, GARLANDED, CHAIRED AND CHEERED BY THE LARGE CROWD OF SUPPORTERS.

LEE KUAN YEW AND ONG ENG GUAN WERE THE FIRST GARLANDED, AND OTHER SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WERE SIMILARLY GARLANDED AND MOBBED.

STRIKING A GLUM NOTE IN THE CURRY OF EXCITEMENT AND JUBILATION WAS MR. DAVID MARSHALL, A FORMER CHIEF MINISTER, WHO LOST THE ELECTION TO HIS SUCCESSOR AND THE OUTGOING CHIEF MINISTER MR. LIM YEW HOCK. MR. MARSHALL HAD INITIATED DISCUSSIONS IN 1956 WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT, BUT RESIGNED WHEN THE TALKS BROKE DOWN.

ELECTION RESULTS AT A GLANCE: PEOPLE'S ACTION PARTY 43
SINGAPORE PEOPLE'S ALLIANCE
(PARTY OF EX-CHIEF MINISTER TUN LIM YEW HOCK) 4
UNITED MALAY NATIONAL ORGANISATION 3
INDEPENDENT 1
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