Tan Cheng Bock v AG (c) [2017] SGCA 50 The focus of Art 19B(1) is on those who have “held the office of President” without any distinction made in relation to the method by which they were elected. (d) The definition of “President” in Art 2 applies to Arts 19B(1) and 164. The reference to “this Constitution” refers to the Constitution as it has stood and as it stands from time to time since 9 August 1965 and in this particular context, it is the Constitution as it stood at the date of the election of each of the Presidents in question. Hence, Presidents “elected under this Constitution” includes those elected by Parliament as well as those elected by the citizens. (e) It was therefore open to Parliament to specify President Wee’s last term as the first term under Art 164 for the purposes of Art 19B. The legislative purpose of Arts 19B and 164 102 We turn to consider the legislative objects of Arts 19B and 164 and we are satisfied that they confirm the conclusion that we have reached by our construction of these provisions of the Constitution alone. Legislative purpose as gleaned from the text 103 What can be gleaned from the text is that the specific purpose of Art 19B(1) is to ensure periodic representation of all the principal communities of Singapore in the office of the President through the introduction of the hiatustriggered reserved election model. 104 As for Art 164, which is a transitional provision, its specific purpose is to allow Parliament to determine when to effect the hiatus-triggered model by allowing Parliament to decide the first term to be counted for the purposes of 51