If you recall, 2011 presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock is on a quest to stand for this year's presidential election.

He first announced that his intention to stand in May last year, until it was revealed to the public in September that new restrictions recommended by a constitutional committee, and accepted by the government, would prevent him from automatically qualifying.

That option has been closed to him, however, as the Attorney-General (AG) told Singapore's government that he defines our first Elected President as the late Wee Kim Wee — the first to exercise that power.

Here's the relevant portion from PM Lee's speech:

"We have taken the Attorney-General’s advice

– We will start counting from the first President who exercised the powers of the Elected President, i.e. Mr Wee Kim Wee

– That means we are now in the fifth term of the Elected Presidency

– We will also have to define the ethnic group of each of the Elected Presidents we have had so far

– There is no practical doubt, but as a legal matter we have to define it

– The Act will deem

(1) Mr Wee Kim Wee as Chinese

(2) Mr Ong Teng Cheong as Chinese

(3) Mr S R Nathan, who served two terms, as Indian

(4) And Dr Tony Tan as Chinese"

The first president to be elected by popular vote in Singapore, however, is the late Ong Teng Cheong.

But since Wee Kim Wee was defined as the first, this year's September presidential election will be reserved for Malay candidates, as there have been five consecutive presidents who are not Malay.

An outcome that precludes Tan from taking part, as well as, in case you're wondering, Uber driver Shirwin Eu.

Fast forward to today

We're explaining this because Tan then took his case to the High Court, arguing that the AG's decision to name Wee as the first elected president is not constitutional.

Tan's application includes a statement from British constitutional lawyer David Pannick, a Queen's Counsel who is also a member of the British House of Lords.

And on Thursday (Jun. 29), High Court Judge Quentin Loh heard the case, which had the government represented by deputy Attorney-General (and also former PAP Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh) Hri Kumar Nair and Tan represented by Senior Counsel Chelva Retnam Rajah, behind closed doors.

Neither lawyer would say to reporters what transpired, pending Judge Loh's decision, which he has reserved till next week.

So... we will find out in a week's time whether or not the next presidential election will still be a reserved one, or an open one — and if it's open, we'll find out slightly later on if Tan can stand to be our president once again.

Stay tuned.

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Top photo by Tan Guan Zhen