Singapore’s PM Lawrence Wong to visit Malaysia for landmark leaders’ retreat, marking 60 years of diplomatic ties

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 5 — Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will undertake an official visit to Malaysia from Monday to Tuesday, in conjunction with the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat on Tuesday.

Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry in a statement on Sunday said Wong will be accompanied by his spouse, Loo Tze Lui, Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, along with several other ministers.

“Prime Minister Wong will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony at Perdana Putra Complex, Putrajaya, followed by a delegation meeting of the Leaders’ Retreat with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“A joint press statement will be issued following the retreat,” the statement read.

During the visit, both sides are expected to take stock of Malaysia-Singapore bilateral relations and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.

“Both leaders are also scheduled to witness the exchange of the joint agreement on Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), six memoranda of understanding and one letter of intent on education, women and social welfare, climate change, carbon capture and storage, urban development and combatting transnational crimes,” it said.

As close neighbours and founding members of Asean, Malaysia and Singapore have a long-standing, broad and multifaceted relations across various fields.

Both countries remain each other’s second-largest trading partners, with bilateral trade amounting to RM360.12 billion from January to November 2024, a 6.7 per cent increase over the same period in 2023.

This year also marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. — Bernama