KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Malaysia and Singapore’s bilateral relations reached a significant milestone this year as the two neighbouring nations, with centuries of shared history, marked 60 years of diplomatic ties.
The long-standing and multifaceted relationship between Malaysia and Singapore continued to deepen, boosted by regular high-level exchanges, especially between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong, who are also the finance ministers of their respective countries.
The Annual Leaders’ Retreat, the highest-level platform for reviewing bilateral relations, discussing regional and global issues of mutual interest, and exploring new avenues to deepen the partnership, was held twice this year.
Usually a once-a-year affair, the retreat was held in January and December after the 11th edition, initially scheduled for December 2024, was postponed due to Wong’s COVID-19 infection.
The recently concluded 12th Leaders’ Retreat, hosted in Singapore, saw leaders from both sides reiterate their commitment to continue talks and engagement to amicably and constructively resolve long-standing issues concerning maritime boundaries, airspace and waters.
At the meeting, Malaysia and Singapore also signed an additional agreement for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link to facilitate preparations for the co-located immigration facilities ahead of the targeted service commencement date in December 2026.
Both sides also exchanged memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cooperation in healthcare and the fight against drugs, marking another important step in enhancing collaboration between the two nations.
Malaysia has also given Singapore the green light to open consulates in Sabah and Sarawak, which will further enhance business and people-to-people engagement.
