Tan Cheng Bock v AG [2017] SGCA 50 defined by reference to the position under the Constitution as it stands today (at [66]). 25 The Judge then considered the relevant extraneous material (meaning admissible material other than the text of the 2016 Amendment which might shed light on the legislative purpose), and concluded that this confirmed the ordinary meaning of Arts 19B and 164. There was nothing to suggest any fetter on Parliament’s power to specify President Wee’s second and last term of office as the first term (at [99]). 26 In the Judge’s view, there were three legislative purposes behind Arts 19B and 164, each more abstract and general than the one preceding it (at [85]). Parliament intended: (a) To be able to specify President Wee’s last term of office as the first term; (b) To ensure that the present system of choosing the President through popular elections produces Presidents from the minority communities from time to time; and (c) To uphold multi-racialism by ensuring minority representation in the Presidency. 27 As to these, the Judge’s views were as follows: (a) The first purpose was Parliament’s specific intention and he had to interpret Art 19B in light of that intention. PM Lee had said in Parliament during the second reading of the 2016 Bill that the Government would specify President Wee’s last term of office as the first term thus making the 2017 election a reserved election for 12

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