Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur hosted a reception to celebrate two milestones – Singapore’s 60th National Day and 60 years of diplomatic relations with Malaysia.
Held at Shangri-La Hotel, the event drew more than 1,500 guests, including Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, government officials, business leaders, foreign diplomats and Singaporeans living in Malaysia.
The reception themed “Bersejahtera Bersama” highlighted the close relationship between both nations.
Guests also walked through a series of exhibits that traced the bilateral journey through six themes, namely food, friendship, games, cooperation, celebration and connectivity.
Commenting on their enduring partnership, Singapore High Commissioner to Malaysia Vanu Gopala Menon reiterated the three words – bekerjasama (cooperate), berjalan-jalan (walking together) and berkawan (friendship) – appearing on the special exhibits outside the ballroom which described the relationship between the two countries.
He also highlighted how both countries cooperated through high-level meetings such as the annual Leaders’ Retreat, which resulted in new agreements this year on higher education and a volunteer programme.
“Meanwhile, the land arteries that connect us, the Causeway and Second Link will soon be joined by the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link (RTS); these represent ‘walking together’,” he said.
Emphasising friendship as the most important element, Menon acknowledged Malaysia’s invaluable role in assisting Singapore over the years.
“True friendship is not revealed in moments of peace, but in times of need.”
To celebrate, Singaporean music group Artusik performed a medley of Singaporean tunes with performers from Universiti Teknologi Mara’s Music Faculty.
Additionally, in a special collaboration, the High Commission and Singapore Tourism Board partnered with Singaporean artist Alyph and Malaysian artist SonaOne for an online special where the two cooked together while discussing their friendship.
Guests were also given a unique gift – a special magnet featuring “SingaMau” – a mascot created to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic ties.
