Malaysian Prime Minister (PM) Anwar Ibrahim made an official visit to Singapore today (30 Jan).
The trip is particularly significant as it marks Anwar’s first time to Singapore officially since being elected as Malaysia’s 10th PM last November.
Joined by his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and a host of cabinet ministers, the premier met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob.
Source: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook
During the one-day trip, Mr Anwar and PM Lee also witnessed the signing of three agreements between Singapore and Malaysia.
One of the programmes on the agenda for Mr Anwar’s visit was the naming of an orchid in his and Dr Wan Azizah’s honour.
According to The Straits Times (ST), the orchid hybrid was named Dendrobium Anwar Azizah.
Source: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook
Prior to that, Mr Anwar and his entourage had kicked off the day with an official welcome ceremony at the Istana.
The ministers joining him on this trip consisted of:
Source: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook
They were greeted by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his delegation, according to a post on Anwar’s Facebook page.
Source: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook
Following that, the Prime Minister made a courtesy call on President Halimah.
PM Lee also hosted an official lunch for Mr Anwar, which featured a lohei session.
Source: The Straits Times (ST)
During the lunch, the latter shared that President Halimah will be visiting Malaysia soon, calling it a “clear signal” of vibrant bilateral relations.
The main event of the trip was the signing of three agreements between Singapore and Malaysia.
Source: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook
They cover the digital economy, green economy, data protection, and cybersecurity.
One of them is Malaysia’s first green economy agreement with any country ever. This will enable Singapore and Malaysia to work together on the decarbonisation of industries.
Singapore has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, while Malaysia’s previous government set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 at the earliest.
The second agreement centres on the digital economy and will encourage greater collaboration in this area.
It will also support the digitalisation of industries and small businesses.
Finally, the third agreement is a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which will allow knowledge-sharing in data protection policies and cross-border data flows.
It will also foster the exchange of knowledge and best practices in facing cybersecurity threats, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology.
After the signing of the agreements, Mr Anwar will engage with the Malaysian community in Singapore before flying home in the evening.
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Featured image adapted from Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook and Facebook.
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