Brunei Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah in Singapore for official visit this week

His Royal Highness Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Chairman of Brunei LNG Board. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN

SINGAPORE, Aug 2 (The Straits Times/ANN): Brunei Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah will lead a delegation to Singapore for the 8th Singapore-Brunei Young Leaders’ Programme this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said.

The programme, which was launched in 2013, is a key platform for young leaders from both countries to meet and build ties with one another. Both sides take turns to host the programme.

Crown Prince Billah, who is also Senior Minister at Brunei’s Prime Minister’s Office, will be on an official visit from today to Friday at the invitation of Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean.

The Crown Prince is accompanied by his wife, Princess Sarah, and their children Princess Muneerah, Prince Muhammad Aiman, and Princess Faathimah Az-Zahraa’.

The Brunei delegation includes Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Amin Liew Abdullah; Minister of Education Romaizah Salleh; Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Riza Yunos; and senior officials from the Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Service Department.

The Crown Prince’s visit, his first since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, reaffirms the excellent and close ties between Singapore and Brunei, MFA said.

“During the visit, both sides will discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral ties in the coming years,” the ministry added.

Crown Prince Billah and Princess Sarah will be hosted to lunch by President Halimah Yacob and her husband, Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, at the Istana.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will also separately host lunch for Crown Prince Billah and the members of his delegation.

SM Teo and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will host them to a welcome dinner.

The Crown Prince will also visit Victoria School and Victoria Hall, Our Tampines Hub and its integrated public service centre, and RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base.

Last month, Lee and his wife, Ho Ching, received royal honours from Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah during an investiture.

They also attended the Sultan’s 76th birthday celebrations. — The Straits Times/ANN