Anwar Ibrahim to make official visit to Singapore at end of the month
It will be his first Singapore visit as Malaysia Prime Minister after he was appointed last November
SINGAPORE — Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to make an official visit to Singapore at the end of this month, according to a media statement by Foreign Affairs Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir on Tuesday (17 January).
According to The Straits Times, this will be Mr Anwar’s first visit to Singapore as prime minister, since he assumed the post last November. It will also be his second state visit, following his official visit to Indonesia on 8 and 9 January.
Dr Zambry's statement came after his Monday meeting in Kuala Lumpur with Singapore counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan, who is on a four-day visit to Malaysia - his first official visit to the country since Mr Anwar became prime minister.
Bernama reported Dr Zambry saying that the two ministers touched on Mr Anwar’s official visit to Singapore, as well as a proposed state visit by Singapore President Halimah Yacob to Malaysia in March.
He also outlined how both ministers reaffirmed the excellent and longstanding relations between the two countries, adding, "We are committed to continue positive engagements through the existing bilateral mechanisms and emphasised resolving issues harmoniously and finding amicable solutions to preserve the strong Malaysia-Singapore bilateral relations."
Dr Zambry said his meeting with Dr Balakrishnan underscored the ongoing efforts to strengthen existing close ties between the two countries under Malaysia’s new unity government.
PM Lee had invited Mr Anwar to visit soon
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had congratulated Mr Anwar on his appointment as Malaysia's 10th Prime Minister, and had invited him to visit Singapore soon.
PM Lee said in his Facebook post then that he had last met Mr Anwar in Singapore in 2018 during a lecture at the Singapore Summit on the importance of bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia.
"Indeed, Singapore and Malaysia are close partners. Our countries share a longstanding friendship, underpinned by strong historical, cultural, and interpersonal ties," he wrote in his post.
"I look forward to working with him and the new government to further strengthen our bilateral relationship."
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