1974 Malaysian general election

1974 Malaysian general election

24 August – 14 September 1974
All 154 seats to the Dewan Rakyat 78 seats needed for a majority
Registered	4,178,914
Turnout	2,220,186 (75.1%)
First party Second party Third party   File:James Wong.jpg Leader Abdul Razak Hussein Lim Kit Siang James Wong Party UMNO DAP SNAP Alliance BN – – Leader since 23 January 1971 1 October 1969 1963 Leader's seat Pekan Kota Melaka Miri-Subis (lost seat) Last election 74 seats, 44.3% 13 seats, 12.1% 9 seats, 2.7% Seats won 135 9 9 Seat change 61 4 Popular vote 1,287,400 387,845 117,566 Percentage 60.7% 18.3% 5.6% Swing 16.4% 6.2% 2.9%
Results by constituency.
Prime Minister before election Abdul Razak Hussein BN Prime Minister-designate Abdul Razak Hussein BN

A general election was held between Saturday, 24 August and Saturday, 14 September 1974 for members of the 4th Parliament of Malaysia. Voting took place in all 154 parliamentary constituencies of Malaysia, each electing one Member of Parliament to the Dewan Rakyat, the dominant house of Parliament. State elections also took place in 360 state constituencies (except Sabah) on the same day. This is first and only election for Tun Abdul Razak as Prime Minister since was appointed to the position in 1970 and first general election the Barisan Nasional was new political alliance replacing Alliance Party with Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (PGRM) and People's Progressive Party (PPP) was part of Barisan Nasional.

Once Parliament had been dissolved on 31 July 1974, the Election Commission fixed 8 August 1974, as Nomination Day and 24 August 1974, as Polling Day. (In Malaysia, the election campaign must last a minimum of two weeks.)

Candidates were returned unopposed in 47 constituencies. The 1,060,871 electors from these constituencies therefore did not cast ballots. Another 88 Front members were later successful, thus enabling their alliance to gain an overwhelming majority in the House. This result was a victory for Barisan Nasional which won 135 of the 154 seats. Voter turnout was 75.1%. 10 additional Parliament seats was created in the Peninsular Malaysia in 1974.

Results

Dewan Rakyat

Summary of the 24 August - 14 September 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results

Party				Vote		Seats
				Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	1,287,400	60.81	135	87.66	+61
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO			62	40.26	+10
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA			19	12.34	+6
		Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party	PAS			13	8.44	+1
		United Sabah National Organisation	USNO			13	8.44	0
		United Traditional Bumiputera Party	PBB	83,722		8	5.19	New
		Sarawak United People's Party	SUPP	64,235		7	4.55	+2
		Malaysian People's Movement Party	Gerakan			5	3.25	-3
		Malaysian Indian Congress	MIC			4	2.60	+2
		Sabah Chinese Association	SCA			3	1.95	0
		People's Progressive Party	PPP			1	0.65	-3
	Democratic Action Party		DAP	387,845	18.32	9	5.84	-4
	Sarawak National Party		SNAP	117,566	5.55	9	5.84	0
	Parti Keadilan Masyarakat Malaysia		PEKEMAS	105,718	4.99	1	0.65	New
	Malaysian People's Socialist Party		PSRM	84,206	3.98	0	0.00	0
	Homeland Consciousness Union		KITA	8,623	0.41	0	0.00	New
	Independent People's Progressive Party		IPPP	1,356	0.06	0	0.00	New
	Independents		IND	124,202	5.87	0	0.00	-1
Valid votes				2,116,916
Invalid/blank votes				103,270
Total (turnout: 75.1%)				2,220,186	100.00	154	100.00	+10
Did not vote				1,958,728
Registered voters				4,178,914
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)				5,625,000
Malaysian population				11,700,000
Source: Nohlen et al., IPU ,[1] Archived 6 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine,[2]

Results by state

Johore

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Johore

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	16			16	100.00	0
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	11			11	68.75	0
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA	5			5	31.25	0
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	16	100.00	0
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Johore's population
Source:

Kedah

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Kedah

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	13			13	100.00	+4
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	8			8	61.54	+1
		Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party	PAS	3			3	23.08	0
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA	2			2	15.38	0
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	13	100.00	+1
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Kedah's population
Source:

Kelantan

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Kelantan

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	12	110,957		12	100.00	+6
		Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party	PAS	7			7	58.33	+1
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	5			5	41.67	+1
	Malaysian People's Socialist Party		PSRM	9			0	0.00	0
	Independents		IND	12	37,111		0	0.00	0
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	12	100.00	+2
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Kelantan's population
Source:

Kuala Lumpur

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Kuala Lumpur

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO
		Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party	PAS
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00		100.00
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Kuala Lumpur's population
Source:

Malacca

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Malacca

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	4			3	75.00	0
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	2			2	50.00	0
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA	2			1	25.00	0
	Democratic Action Party		DAP				1	25.00	0
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	4	100.00	0
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Malacca's population
Source:

Negri Sembilan

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Negri Sembilan

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	6			5	83.33	+2
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	3			3	50.00	0
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA	2			1	16.67	+1
		Malaysian Indian Congress	MIC	1			1	16.67	+1
	Democratic Action Party		DAP				1	16.67	-2
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	6	100.00	0
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Negri Sembilan's population
Source:

Pahang

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Pahang

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	8			8	100.00	+2
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	7			7	87.50	+2
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA	1			1	12.50	0
	Malaysian People's Socialist Party		PSRM	4	14,244		0	0.00	0
Valid votes					73,812
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	8	100.00	+2
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Pahang's population
Source:

Penang

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Penang

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	9	117,349	56.24	9	100.00	+7
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA	3	46,226	22.15	3	33.33	+2
		Malaysian People's Movement Party	Gerakan	3	42,792	20.51	3	33.33	-2
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	3	28,331	13.58	3	33.33	+2
	Democratic Action Party		DAP	7	51,025	24.45	0	0.00	-1
	Parti Keadilan Masyarakat Malaysia		PEKEMAS	7	26,640	12.77	0	0.00	New
	Malaysian People's Socialist Party		PSRM	6	12,409	5.95	0	0.00	0
	Homeland Consciousness Union		KITA	1	1,235	0.59	0	0.00	New
Valid votes					208,658
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	9	100.00	+1
Did not vote
Registered voters					271,133
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Penang's population
Source:

Perak

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Perak

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	21			17	80.95	+8
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO				11	52.38	+4
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA				2	9.52	+1
		Malaysian People's Movement Party	Gerakan				2	9.52	+1
		Malaysian Indian Congress	MIC				1	4.76	0
		People's Progressive Party	PPP				1	4.76	-3
		Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party	PAS				1	4.76	0
	Democratic Action Party		DAP				4	19.05	-1
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	21	100.00	+1
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Perak's population
Source:

Perlis

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Perlis

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	2			2	100.00	0
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	2			2	100.00	0
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	2	100.00	0
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Perlis's population
Source:

Sabah

Summary of the 24 August – 7 September 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Sabah

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	16	6,468	60.85	16	100.00	New
		United Sabah National Organisation	USNO	13	6,468	60.85	13	81.25	0
		Sabah Chinese Association	SCA	3	0	0.00	3	18.75	0
	Parti Keadilan Masyarakat Malaysia		PEKEMAS	1	4,162	39.15	0	0.00	New
Valid votes					10,630
Invalid/blank votes					439
Total votes (voter turnout: 77.72%)					11,069	100.00	16	100.00	0
Did not vote					3,173
Registered voters (in contested constituencies)					14,242
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Sabah's population
Source:

Sarawak

Summary of the 24 August – 14 September 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Sarawak

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	24	147,957	55.25	15	62.50	New
		United Traditional Bumiputera Party	PBB	15	83,722	31.25	9	37.50	New
		Sarawak United People's Party	SUPP	9	64,235	24.00	6	25.00	+1
	Sarawak National Party		SNAP	24	117,503	43.88	9	37.50	0
	Independents		IND	4	2,322	0.87	0	0.00	-1
Valid votes					267,782
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	24	100.00	0
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Sarawak's population
Source:

Selangor

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Selangor

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	11			10	90.91	+1
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	5			5	45.45	-1
		Malaysian Chinese Association	MCA	5			4	36.36	+2
		Malaysian Indian Congress	MIC	1			1	9.09	0
	Democratic Action Party		DAP				1	9.09	-2
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	11	100.00	-3
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Selangor's population
Source:

Trengganu

Summary of the 24 August 1974 Malaysian Dewan Rakyat election results in Trengganu

Party				Candidates	Vote		Seats
					Votes	%	Won	%	+/–
	National Front		BN	7	69,232		7	100.00	+3
		United Malays National Organisation	UMNO	4			4	57.14	0
		Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party	PAS	3			3	42.86	+1
	Malaysian People's Socialist Party		PSRM	6	32,916		0	0.00	0
	Independents		IND		5,825		0	0.00	0
Valid votes
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes (voter turnout: %)						100.00	7	100.00	+1
Did not vote
Registered voters
Voting age population (aged 21 years and above)
Trengganu's population
Source:

State Assemblies

Main article: 1974 Malaysian state elections

Opposition

After the election, Sarawak National Party (SNAP) became the largest opposition party in the Malaysian parliament and James Wong was appointed the opposition leader. After 2 months, he was detained under Internal Security Act. Datuk Seri Edmund Langgau Anak Saga from the SNAP party later succeeded him. James Wong was detained for almost two years before negotiation led by Datuk Amar Leo Moggie Anak Irok resulting in SNAP joining the Barisan Nasional.