SM Lee to attend Brunei sultan’s 80th birthday celebrations; Singapore leaders extend congratulations
Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah on Aug 25, 2022. (File photo: Ministry of Communications and Information)
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SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong visits Brunei from Tuesday (Jul 14) to Friday as the Singapore government's representative to the 80th birthday celebrations of Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Mr Lee will attend the royal guard of honour parade and the investiture ceremony on Wednesday as well as the royal banquet on Thursday as part of the official celebrations, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Monday.
Mr Lee will have audiences with the sultan and other members of the royal family.
He will also meet various ministers and Singapore Armed Forces personnel training in Brunei.
Mr Lee will be accompanied by Mrs Lee and Mr Goh Pei Ming, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Family Development.
SINGAPORE LEADERS EXTEND CONGRATULATIONS
Singapore leaders on Monday extended their congratulations to the sultan on his birthday, highlighting his leadership and the close, longstanding ties between the two countries.
In his letter, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Brunei has enjoyed decades of peace, stability and progress under the sultan’s leadership.
“Your Majesty’s enlightened vision for Brunei’s modernisation and development has uplifted the lives of generations of Bruneians,” Mr Tharman said.
He also credited the Sultan with fostering a “special and enduring relationship” between Singapore and Brunei.
“It is a relationship that can be traced back to the friendship and camaraderie between the late Seri Begawan and Mr Lee Kuan Yew, and that has grown with the personal bonds that Your Majesty has forged with each and every Singapore Prime Minister,” Mr Tharman said.
Singapore is grateful for the sultan’s steadfast support of the two countries’ bilateral ties, which has brought their partnership to new heights and will benefit generations to come, he added.
“My wife Jane and I wish Your Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri continued good health, and many more years of bliss, and happiness. We look forward to welcoming Your Majesties to Singapore again soon,” said Mr Tharman.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in his letter that the sultan has “adroitly steered” Brunei through exceptional challenges in a rapidly changing world since its independence in 1984.
Drawing parallels between the two countries, Mr Wong said both Brunei and Singapore are small nations that must remain open to the world while standing on their own feet.
“That Bruneians from all walks of life enjoy peace, harmony, and prosperity today is truly a testament to Your Majesty’s distinguished stewardship,” he said.
The special relationship between the two countries has withstood the test of time with the sultan’s unwavering support over the years, Mr Wong added.
“Our strong bilateral defence and monetary cooperation have been a cornerstone of our robust relationship,” he said, noting the two countries are commemorating the 50th anniversary of defence ties this year and the 60th anniversary of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement next year.
“I am confident that our collaboration, based on mutual trust and respect, will strengthen further in the years ahead and bring forth even more opportunities for our peoples’ development and well-being,” Mr Wong said.
In Mr Lee’s letter to the sultan, he noted that his birthday was a “historic milestone”.
“My father cherished his ties with the Seri Begawan. Together, they laid the foundations for the special and trusted friendship between our two nations,” Mr Lee said.
“It has been my distinct privilege to partner Your Majesty in continuing that endeavour, and I am heartened that the next generation of leaders on both sides fully appreciate the significance of our important relationship and are committed to growing it into the future.”
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in his letter said it was his privilege and good fortune to have worked closely with the sultan to enhance Singapore and Brunei’s bilateral ties.
“Our countries remain firm friends today. In the years ahead, I am confident that Singapore and Brunei will continue to seek new pathways of cooperation for the betterment of our people,” Mr Goh said.
