Agong Receives a courtesy visit from Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong

BY: Michelle Liew

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah accepted a courtesy visit from Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and his wife, Loo Tze Lui at Istana Negara, here today.

Also present was the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja Istana Negara, Datuk Seri Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said, the meeting with Wong, who is currently on a three-day working visit to Malaysia, lasted 30 minutes starting at 12 noon.

Ahmad Fadil said in the meeting, the two leaders touched on the special and close bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Singapore.

“Seri Paduka expressed the view that as neighbouring countries that have a deep historical and people-to-people relationship, Malaysia and Singapore need to continue to work closely together in various fields and levels, especially in the post-Covid-19 recovery phase,” he said in a statement.

Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin and Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia Vanu Gopala Menon.

Al-Sultan Abdullah said it was important for Malaysia and Singapore to complement each other and strengthen social relations, trade and investment to the highest level for the mutual benefit for the people of both countries.

“Seri Paduka said that as two close neighbours, Malaysia will continue to commit to strengthening relations and cooperation with Singapore,” he said.

Ahmad Fadil said the two leaders also touched on several issues of mutual interest at the meeting.

Meanwhile, His Majesty also expressed his appreciation to the Singapore government for allowing him to hold a State Visit to Singapore for three days starting on 19 September.

“The State Visit that has been scheduled will further strengthen the friendship and bilateral relations between Malaysia and Singapore,” he said.

In the meantime, Ahmad Fadil said Wong, his wife and the delegation then attended a lunch hosted by the two of them.

Singapore was Malaysia’s second largest trading partner last year with a trade value of US$64.43 billion.

Also in 2021, Singapore was the largest source of foreign direct investment in Malaysia with a value of US$38.62 billion, while the total Malaysian investment in Singapore was US$25.41 billion.

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