Brunei’s Prince Mateen visits Singapore’s Special Operations Task Force

The Prince’s visit builds on the momentum of high-level exchanges between Singapore and Brunei, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Oct 23.

PM Wong said Singapore and Brunei share a special and longstanding friendship built on deep mutual trust and understanding.

“We will build on this legacy to deepen our cooperation, strengthen the ties between our peoples, and take our partnership forward for generations to come,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Oct 23.

There have been a series of visits by leaders from both sides, including Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s trip to Brunei for the Sultan’s 80th birthday celebrations in July, during which the two nations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.

Singapore and Brunei also signed a supply chain resilience pact on Oct 12 to ensure the flow of essential items like crude oil, food and medical supplies during crises.

Earlier in his trip, Mateen met Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing on Oct 21. MINDEF said both leaders reaffirmed the importance of continued bilateral defence engagement and discussed opportunities to deepen the countries’ defence cooperation.

In a social media post on Oct 21, Chan said both leaders had a good discussion on how to collaborate not only in defence but also in other areas that benefit their countries.

Such regular interactions and shared experiences continue to bring Singaporeans and Bruneians closer together and strengthen the longstanding friendship between both sides, added Chan.

While in Singapore, Mateen also called on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and PM Wong and met Balakrishnan. He was hosted to lunch by SM Lee on Oct 21.

The Prince also attended an industry roundtable with Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, where participants exchanged perspectives on business and investment opportunities in Singapore and Brunei, said MFA.

Mateen’s itinerary included a briefing on Singapore’s AI strategy by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI).

Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said in an Oct 23 social media post that both leaders had a wide-ranging discussion on artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, which are central to their nations’ digital strategies. — The Straits Times/Asia News Network