Malaya/Malaysia’s first ever DUN Constituencies (map produced by Tindak Malaysia)

Did you know Johor (then Johore) was the first state to start state level elections? According to Tindak Malaysia’s research, Johore also happens to be first state where the formation of geographical constituencies (for DUN/ Parliament) occurred. Here are key dates leading up to state elections:

June 1950 – Select Committee of the Council on State, Johore on the Question of Election of Members of Council convenes their first meeting (Source; The Straits Times, 23 June 1950, Page 5)

October 1950 – Johore becomes the first Malay state to produce a report recommending elections to the State Legislature. The Committee recommended that one elected member shall represent 50 000 people of the state (not necessarily just voters). Hence, 16 elected members were proposed for Council of State

June 1953 – Appointment of officers (5) to manage 16 new constituencies with intention of dividing up the new polling areas (with voter cap of 1000 electors per polling area) (Source: The Straits Times, 15 June 1953, Page 7)

June 1954 – Registers of voters for State Elections were completed and open for inspection (Source: The Straits Times, 28 June 1954, Page 4)

September 1954 – Nomination Day. Alliance (UMNO-MCA) won five seats uncontested (Kota Tinggi, Batu Pahat Coastal, Pontian, Kluang and Mersing) (Source: Singapore Standard, 2 September 1954, Page 2)

October 1954 – Polling Day (10/10/1954). Alliance swept through all seats.

Election Results and Metadata for 1954 Johore Elections can be accessed here: https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/tree/main/1955-ELECTION-RESULTS

Map Source/ Report Details: “Policy. Elections,” 1950, CO 717/186/11, MS Records of the British Colonial Office, The National Archives, State Papers Online Colonial (Gale)