A by-election for the Singapore City Council was held in 1958 after the resignation of Chang Yuen Tong, a member who held the seat for Kallang Constituency. While he cited his inability to reconcile the demands of his work with those of The Workers' Party of Singapore which he was a member, Lee Kuan Yew subsequently alleged that it was an orchestrated move by communist leader Fang Chuang Pi.
The Workers' Party fielded Lo Ka Fat to contest in the byelection, which was held on 26 July 1958. He was up against Lim Ser Puan of the Labour Front, Buang bin Omar Junid of the People's Action Party and Govindapillai Maruthamuthoo Kanagasabai, an independent.