Forget the by-election effect. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has won its first by-election in 24 years since 1992.

PAP's Murali Pillai won Bukit Batok by-election with 61.2 per cent of the vote last night (May 7), despite a 11.8 per cent swing against the incumbent. Fomer PAP MP David Ong secured 73 per cent of the vote just eight months ago at the General Election.

But a win is still a win, since its last by-election victory was in 1992.

When PAP won that by-election in Marine Parade GRC, Goh Chok Tong was Singapore's Prime Minister for just two years.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean just entered politics after resigning as Rear-Admiral from the Navy.

Anyway, below are the results of the by-elections over the past 24 years:

1992 by-election: Marine Parade GRC

PAP – 72.94%

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) – 24.5%

National Solidarity Party (NSP) – 1.42%

Singapore Justice Party (SJP) – 1.14%

2012 by-election: Hougang SMC

Workers' Party – 62.08%

PAP – 37.92%

2013 by-election: Punggol East SMC

WP – 54.50%

PAP – 43.73%

Reform Party - 1.20%

Singapore Democratic Alliance - 0.57%

And the loser of that by-election?

Chee Soon Juan.

And he was still BFFs with veteran opposition MP Chiam See Tong.

Top photo from National Archives.

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