SINGAPORE: Singapore and Brunei share a “special friendship”, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as he arrived in the South-east Asian country on Tuesday (July 14) for the 80th birthday celebrations of its Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
SM Lee, who will be in Brunei from July 14 to 17, is the Singapore Government’s representative for the celebrations, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on July 13.
Noting that it has been over two years since his last visit to Brunei, SM Lee said in a social media post on July 14 that the two countries “share a special friendship built on decades of mutual trust, close cooperation and strong people-to-people ties”.
On July 15, SM Lee will attend the royal guard-of-honour parade and the investiture ceremony as part of the official celebrations.
He will attend the royal banquet on July 16.
As part of his visit, SM Lee will have audiences with the Sultan and other members of the royal family, and also meet various Bruneian ministers.
He will also meet Singapore Armed Forces personnel training in Brunei.
SM Lee is accompanied by Mrs Lee and Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming on the visit.
He had written a congratulatory letter to the Sultan for his 80th birthday. SM Lee said it was his privilege to partner the Sultan in continuing the special and trusted friendship between the two nations.
He said he was heartened that the next generation of leaders from both countries fully appreciate the significance of the relationship and are committed to growing it into the future.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong are among other Singapore leaders who wrote congratulatory letters to the Sultan.
The Sultan, who ascended the throne in 1967, holds multiple roles in Brunei, serving also as its prime minister.
In his letter, President Tharman said the Sultan played a pivotal role in fostering a special and enduring relationship between the two countries and that he personally witnessed how Singapore and Brunei “maintained a steady, mutually respectful and deepening relationship” under his leadership.
PM Wong said the Sultan “adroitly steered” Brunei through exceptional challenges in a rapidly changing world following the country’s independence in 1984.
He said Brunei is a small country like Singapore that must stand on its own feet and remain open to the rest of the world. That Bruneians from all walks of life enjoy peace, harmony and prosperity today is a testament to the Sultan’s distinguished stewardship, he added.
Said PM Wong: “With Your Majesty’s unwavering support over the years, the special relationship that our two countries share has withstood the test of time.
“Our strong bilateral defence and monetary cooperation have been a cornerstone of our robust relationship.” - The Straits Times/ANN
