1969 Malaysian general election

A general election was held on Saturday, 10 May 1969 for members of the 3rd Parliament of Malaysia, although voting was postponed until between 6 June and 4 July 1970 in Sabah and Sarawak.[1] This election marked the first parliamentary election held in Sabah and Sarawak after the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

1969 Malaysian general election

10 May 1969 – 4 July 1970
All 144 seats to the Dewan Rakyat 73 seats needed for a majority
Registered	3,450,000
Turnout	2,532,042 (73.6%)
First party Second party Third party   DAP Leader Tunku Abdul Rahman Burhanuddin al-Helmy Goh Hock Guan Party Alliance Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party DAP Leader since 23 August 1951 1956 30 July 1967 Leader's seat Kuala Kedah No seat Bangsar Last election 89 seats, 58.5% 9 seats, 14.6% 1 seat, 2.0% Seats won 74 12 13 Seat change 15 3 12 Popular vote 1,063,238 495,641 286,606 Percentage 44.3% 20.9% 12.1% Swing 14.2% 6.3% 10.1%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Gerakan PPP SUPP Leader Syed Hussein Alatas S. P. Seenivasagam Ong Kee Hui Party Gerakan People's Progressive Party Sarawak United People's Party Leader since 1968 1969 1959 Leader's seat No seat Menglembu Last election New Party 2 seats, 3.4% New Party Seats won 8 4 5 Seat change 2 Popular vote 178,971 80,756 71,293 Percentage 7.5% 3.4% 3.0%   Seventh party Eighth party Ninth party   SNAP USNO PESAKA Party SNAP United Sabah National Organisation Parti Pesaka Sarawak Last election New Party New Party New Party Seats won 9 13 2 Popular vote 64,593 31,947 30,765 Percentage 2.7% 1.3% 1.3%
Prime Minister before election Tunku Abdul Rahman Alliance Prime Minister-designate Tunku Abdul Rahman Alliance

The election resulted in the return to power, with a reduced majority, of the ruling Alliance Party, comprising the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the Malayan Chinese Association, and the Malayan Indian Congress. The Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which had campaigned against Bumiputra privileges outlined by Article 153 of the Constitution, made major gains in the election.[2] Voter turnout was 73.6%. Opposition won 54 seats in total causing the Alliance to lose its two-thirds majority in the Parliament (two-thirds majority being the majority required to pass most constitutional amendments) for the first time.

This election also saw Alliance lose its majority in Perak, Selangor and Penang in addition to Kelantan. The result of the election and subsequent reactions would cause widespread race riots also known as the 13 May Incident. As a consequence of this incident, the federal government decided to suspend parliament and government administration was monitored by MAGERAN until 1971.[3] It also marked the end of Tunku Abdul Rahman's administration as Prime Minister before he was succeeded by Tun Abdul Razak several months later. Razak would then seek the main purpose to establish the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.[4]

State elections also took place in 330 state constituencies in 12 (out of 13, except Sabah) states of Malaysia on the same day.