Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s visit signifies a new chapter in Malaysia-Singapore relations.
SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s newly installed king, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, will make his first overseas state visit to Singapore from Monday (May 6) to Tuesday. The visit comes at the invitation of Singapore’s President, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as announced by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
This marks Sultan Ibrahim’s first official engagement abroad as Malaysia’s 17th king since his ascension to the throne in January, over three decades after his father’s reign. His last visit to Singapore was in 2022 when he served as the Sultan of Johor.
Accompanying Sultan Ibrahim will be Malaysia’s Queen, Raja Zarith Sofia, alongside Transport Minister Anthony Loke and other senior officials.
The visit will include a ceremonial welcome at the Istana on Monday, followed by a state banquet hosted by President Tharman and his wife in honour of Sultan Ibrahim and Queen Zarith Sofia.
Key engagements during the visit include separate meetings with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. This visit notably coincides with a leadership transition, as Mr. Wong is set to take over as Prime Minister on May 15.
Sultan Ibrahim will also be given a tour of Singapore’s parliamentary chambers by Speaker Seah Kian Peng and will observe parliamentary proceedings firsthand. Additionally, he is scheduled to visit the Thomson-East Coast Line alongside Singapore’s Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat.
Highlighting the continued collaboration between the two nations, Sultan Ibrahim’s itinerary includes a focus on infrastructure, with a nod to his 2022 visit to the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link’s Woodlands North terminus site.
The visit symbolizes not only a diplomatic milestone but also underscores the deepening ties between Malaysia and Singapore as Sultan Ibrahim takes on his role as Malaysia’s monarch.
