‘Our relationship is quite unlike any other’ — PM Lee on Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim’s first official visit to Singapore as PM

SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently took to social media to share snippets of his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, welcoming him on his first official visit to Singapore as Prime Minister of his country.

In an online post published on Monday (Jan 30), Mr Lee shared his thoughts on meeting with Mr Ibrahim, who was elected Prime Minister of Malaysia, Singapore’s next-door neighbour. “Delighted to welcome Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim to the Istana today on his first official visit to Singapore as PM,” wrote Mr Lee. “PM Anwar and I go a long way back.”

He then went on to describe his history with his Malaysian counterpart, citing their mutual resolve to reinforce the relationship between the two nations. “His visit today underscores the friendship of our countries and our commitment to strengthen bilateral ties,” he wrote.

“Glad that Singapore and Malaysia signed three agreements to deepen our cooperation in the green and digital economies, and in cybersecurity,” he added.

Mr Lee also talked about how the two countries supported each other, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Singapore and Malaysia work closely in many areas,” his post read.

“Our relationship is quite unlike any other, bound by geography and shared history. As neighbours, we’ve been steadfast partners supporting each other throughout the pandemic, maintaining the flow of goods and workers, and minimising disruption to lives across our borders,” he said.

To end his post, Mr Lee stressed that the effect of working together will be the shared benefit of Singaporeans and Malaysians. “By working constructively together, we produce win-win outcomes that benefit our peoples and businesses, he said.

“I am confident that with PM Anwar’s support, Singapore-Malaysia relations can reach greater heights. Look forward to meeting PM Anwar again soon, and welcoming him back to Singapore later this year for our annual Leaders’ Retreat.”

In response to Mr Lee’s post, some online users left messages in support of the two nations working together.