Former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock has failed in his legal challenge of a government decision that reserves the coming presidential election for Malay candidates.

The High Court has ruled that Parliament has the right to decide the timing of such elections, held when a racial group has not been represented in the presidency for five continuous terms.

Parliament had taken the term of President Wee Kim Wee as the first of the five terms. Dr Tan said this was unconstitutional, arguing that the reserved election should start from 2023. Justice Quentin Loh said ultimately, Parliament's choice of the first term "is a policy decision which falls outside the remit of the courts".

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