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Singapore Voters’ Lists in 1890’s

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Appointment of Municipal Commissioners in Singapore started from 1856 to 1912. Local qualified residents were invited to elect some of these commissioners. Our great-grandfather Yeo Poon Miah's name first appeared in 1887 in the electoral rolls until 1912.

The population in Singapore grew from under 100,000 in 1871 to over 400,000 in 1921.

Due to this rapid rise in population before the turn into the 20th century, the Straits government saw the need to control the spread of diseases and improve the public health. As such, the municipality was granted increasingly higher autonomy to manage the local problems. 1856 started the appointment of Municipal Commissioners.  Later locals were invited to elect some of these commissioners. This Municipal Commissioners’ election was brought to a stop after 1912.  Reviews had indicated a consistently low turnout – indicating that locals were simply not interested in voting. It was also too difficult to ensure that eligible voters’ lists were too hard to keep complete or accurate before the election day, hence rendering the effort largely wasted.   

Our great-grandfather Yeo Poon Miah’s name first appeared in 1887 in the electoral rolls until 1912.

List of Principal Chinese Firms in Singapore 1898&1899
There were several dubious issues arising from the fifteen years (1887-1912) of entries in the voters’ lists. Every entry consists of a name, a residential address and an address of the qualifying property, for which the qualified voters had either paid the rates or was an occupier.  From 1905 to 1912, the name Yeo Poon Meah appeared in the Central constituency and was listed with a residential address, 18 Boat Quay. This turned out to be the same residential address under which Yeo Poon Miah in the Tanjong Pagar constituency was listed. Judging from their similar connections to Heng Moh, Chip Moh and the rests, Yeo Poon Miah, Yeo Poon Meah and Yeo Poon Myah (mentioned in Arnold Wright’s book), are believed to be the different English names of our great-grandfather. Similarly, Yeo Cheng Hai was found to have a different spelling on the voters’ list: Yeo Cheng Hye. Yeo Poon Seng, the father-in-law of the renowned Song Ong Siang, owned properties in no less than four out of the five constituencies, yet had their addresses listed on and off over the years. Does that mean that Yeo Poon Seng did not pay his taxes on time every year?

Despite the inconsistencies, we are fortunate enough to have access to these 15 years of voters’ lists, which confirmed that Yeo Poon Miah had indeed been in Singapore during this period of time. Furthermore, the various donations by him or his business partner, viz., to Hengshan Pavilion in 1879, Chongwen Pavilion in 1887, and Cui Eng Free School in 1896, were evidence of his entrepreneurial activities. All these information revealed that what he had built in those years – the network and the goodwills – must have inspired our father, Yeo Kheamp Joo, in the 1930’s, to choose Singapore as the most promising place to raise his family instead of the poverty-stricken hometown of Xiayang.

Indeed, before these discoveries, we sisters thought we were just the second-generation Singaporeans, as straightforward and simple as many of our peers.

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