Despite the KMS's connections to UMNO, the modern PKMS originated as an extension of the Johor Bahru branch of UMNO. It contested the 1955 Singapore general election and secured one seat at Ulu Bedok.[3] By the 1959 Singapore general election, UMNO had gained three seats in the Malay-dominated electorates of Geylang Serai, Kampung Kembangan, and the Southern Islands.[4] On 20 February 1961, it became officially registered as the Singapore United Malay National Organisation (SUMNO).[3]
Under the Singapore Alliance umbrella, SUMNO contested the 1963 general election but performed poorly and lost all its three seats. In total, the Alliance lost all its seven seats. The fallout from this electoral defeat contributed to sharply deteriorating relations between the federal government in Kuala Lumpur and the Singapore state government which culminated in the 1964 race riots that ultimately resulted in Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia in September 1965.[5]
On 19 March 1967, the party assumed its current name, Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura, after the Singapore government passed a new law banning local parties from operating as branches of foreign organisations. However, PKMS continued to maintain ties with its parent organisation, UMNO.[6] During the 1968 general election, the PKMS did not file any nominations and supported Barisan Sosialis's electoral boycott of the Singapore Parliament. While the PKMS would contest future elections, it has never won a seat since 1959.
^ abcdLau, Albert (1998). A Moment of Anguish: Singapore in Malaysia and the Politics of Disengagement. Singapore: Times Academic Press. ISBN981-210-1349.
