In his first overseas trip since taking office, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also thanked Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah for his longstanding support for the Singapore Armed Forces training in Brunei.
KUALA LUMPUR: During his first overseas visit as Singapore’s Prime Minister, Mr. Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (Jun 11) expressed his gratitude to Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah for the steadfast support over the past 40 years in strengthening diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1984, and Mr. Wong reaffirmed Singapore’s commitment to continuing to fortify the ‘special relationship’ they share. “Singapore and Brunei enjoy a special relationship, which predates the formal establishment of diplomatic ties,” said Mr. Wong in a Facebook post. “We have stood by each other through good times and bad over the last four decades.”
As two of the smallest nations in Southeast Asia, Singapore and Brunei share similar perspectives on numerous strategic issues. Mr. Wong added, “I value the close ties with Brunei, which is why it is my first stop in my introductory visits to Southeast Asian capitals.”
Earlier in the day, Mr. Wong, alongside his wife Loo Tze Lui and the Singapore delegation, was greeted at Brunei International Airport by Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah and his wife Sarah, who hosted them at a welcome ceremony.
The Singapore delegation had a royal audience with the Sultan and Queen Saleha at the Istana Nurul Iman, where they were also invited to an official lunch hosted by the Bruneian leader.
Mr. Wong thanked the Sultan for his longstanding support of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) training in Brunei and highlighted the importance of their ongoing military cooperation. Additionally, Mr. Wong reaffirmed the significance of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement, which has enhanced the bilateral financial and economic cooperation between the two countries since its inception on Jun 12, 1967.
As co-chair of the Singapore-Brunei Young Leaders’ Programme (YLP) alongside Crown Prince Billah, Mr. Wong expressed enthusiasm about the 10th edition of the programme later this year, further reinforcing the role of young leaders in deepening ties between the two nations.
Earlier this year, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam also chose Brunei as the destination for his first overseas state visit, underscoring the ongoing special relationship between the two countries.
TO MALAYSIA NEXT
On Tuesday evening, Mr. Wong will travel to Kuala Lumpur for his next stop in his series of introductory visits. He is set to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and will be hosted to lunch by his counterpart. Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Ministers, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Fadillah Yusof, will also make separate calls on Mr. Wong during his visit.
Mr. Wong will be accompanied by his wife, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Ms. Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State for Communications and Information.
