Malaysia PM Anwar to visit Singapore on Dec 4 for leaders’ retreat between two countries
The annual retreat is a key platform for the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia to take stock of bilateral cooperation, explore new avenues of collaboration and provide guidance on how to take the countries’ relationship forward.
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SINGAPORE: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will visit Singapore on Thursday (Dec 4) for the 12th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong.
The annual retreat is a key platform for the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia to take stock of bilateral cooperation, explore new avenues of collaboration, and provide guidance on how to take the countries' relationship forward, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Wednesday.
This year marks 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
On Thursday, Mr Wong will host a lunch for Mr Anwar, before a meeting between both sides’ delegations. Both leaders are also the finance ministers of their countries.
The two leaders will then witness the exchange of memorandums of understanding in mutual areas of interest such as health cooperation and the fight against drugs.
These will “broaden bilateral cooperation and increase the exchanges between both sides”, said MFA.
MINISTERIAL REPRESENTATION
Mr Anwar will be accompanied by Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Fadillah Yusof, Sarawak Premier Abang Johari, Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution, Acting Minister of Economy and Second Minister of Finance Amir Hamzah Azizan and Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
The Singapore delegation will also include Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam.
Also present at the retreat will be Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu, and Minister for Manpower and Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology Tan See Leng.
National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, and Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow will also be in the high-level delegation.
During the last leaders’ retreat in Putrajaya back in January this year, which was the first one between Mr Anwar and Mr Wong as prime ministers, both sides agreed on an “indicative timeline” on determining the precise location of their maritime boundaries in the Johor Strait.
Their joint statement also noted Singapore’s intention to open consulates in Sabah and Sarawak to further deepen the economic and people-to-people ties between Singapore and East Malaysia.
The retreat was supposed to be held in December last year, but was postponed after Mr Wong tested positive for COVID-19.
On a separate issue of airspace management, both sides also agreed that delegation arrangements for the provision of air traffic services over southern Peninsular Malaysia do not affect sovereignty.
The two leaders also gave an update on the implementation of the International Court of Justice judgment on Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge, islets at the eastern entrance to the Singapore Strait.
TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS
As part of security operations for the retreat at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore hotel, police said earlier this week that they would be conducting security checks in the vicinity of the venue.
“Members of the public are advised to comply strictly with the instructions of the police and any non-compliance will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law,” they said.
To facilitate the hosting of the event, a section of Temasek Avenue and several lanes along Raffles Boulevard and Raffles Avenue will be closed from 10pm on Wednesday until 11.59pm on Thursday.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore will also establish a Temporary Restricted Area over the venue from 9am to 5.30pm on Thursday, prohibiting aerial activities like flying kites and unmanned aircraft such as drones within and into the area.
