singapore president visit malaysia

• The Star ePaper
• Subscriptions
• Manage Profile
• Change Password
• Manage Logins
• Manage Subscription
• Transaction History
• Manage Billing Info
• Manage For You
• Manage Bookmarks
• Package & Pricing

Singapore President Halimah arrives in Malaysia for three-day state visit

Monday, 20 Mar 2023

Related News

Former president Halimah Yacob awarded Singapore’s highest civilian honour

Former singapore president halimah yacob awarded order of temasek for lifetime of devoted, distinguished service, singapore president halimah yacob says she will not run for second term in upcoming election.

Halimah (left) arrives at KLIA with her husband Mohamed Abdullah Alhabsee for a three-day state visit on March 20, 2023. – Bernama

SEPANG: Singapore President Halimah Yacob has arrived in Malaysia for a three-day state visit until March 22.

This is her return visit on the invitation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah who visited Singapore in October 2022.

Halimah and the Singaporean delegation, including Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Education and Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman and Minister of Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling, arrived at KLIA at 10.20am on a commercial flight.

On arrival, Halimah and her delegation were greeted by the Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

Halimah was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour mounted by the First Battalion of the Royal Ranger Regiment led by Captain Muhammad Akmal Hakim Sabarudin.

According to a Wisma Putra statement, the visit is to further strengthen the good relations and cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

"In 2022, Singapore was Malaysia's second largest global trading partner and the largest among Asean countries, with total trade amounting to RM367.53bil (USD83.53bil), an increase of 29.4%, compared to the recorded value in 2021," it stated. – Bernama

Tags / Keywords: Halimah Yacob , President , Singapore , State Visit

Found a mistake in this article?

Report it to us.

Thank you for your report!

Roadmap for a climate-resilient Malaysia

Next in nation.

Trending in News

Air pollutant index, highest api readings, select state and location to view the latest api reading.

• Select Location

Source: Department of Environment, Malaysia

Others Also Read

Best viewed on Chrome browsers.

We would love to keep you posted on the latest promotion. Kindly fill the form below

Thank you for downloading.

We hope you enjoy this feature!

• Countries & Regions
• International Organisations (IOs)
• Climate Change
• Counter Terrorism
• Disarmament
• Cybersecurity
• International Peacekeeping
• Singapore's Voluntary National Review
• Small States
• Sustainable Development
• Pedra Branca
• Singapore Universal Periodic Review
• Water Agreements
• Find A Singapore Overseas Mission
• Foreign Representatives To Singapore
• COVID-19 Information
• Travel Tips
• Visa Information
• I Need Help Overseas
• Passport Matters
• Legalisation of Documents
• Travel Advisories and Notices
• Useful links
• Press Statements, Transcripts & Photos
• Announcements and Highlights
• Experience Singapore
• Foreign Service Officer (Functional and Corporate)
• Foreign Service Officer (Political and Economic)
• Foreign Service Administration Specialist
• Job Opportunities
• Pre-University
• Undergraduate
• Foreign Service Scholarships
• Recruitment
• Scholarship
• Reach.gov.sg

State Visit by President Halimah Yacob to Malaysia, 20 to 22 March 2023

18 march 2023.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries and regions.

Travel Page

The Straits Times

• International
• Print Edition
• news with benefits
• SPH Rewards
• STClassifieds
• Berita Harian
• Hardwarezone
• Shin Min Daily News
• SRX Property
• Tamil Murasu
• The Business Times
• The New Paper
• Lianhe Zaobao
• Advertise with us

Much scope for Singapore and Malaysia to expand cooperation: President Halimah

KUALA LUMPUR – There is much scope for Singapore and Malaysia to expand their cooperation for mutual benefit, President Halimah Yacob said at the Istana Negara on Tuesday during a state visit to Malaysia.

In the 58 years since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries, bilateral ties have grown from strength to strength, Madam Halimah noted as she delivered a toast at a banquet in her honour held by Malaysia’s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, and his wife, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

“Today, our two countries enjoy substantive and mutually beneficial cooperation spanning the economic, security and people-to-people spheres,” Madam Halimah said.

The three-day visit ending on Wednesday is her first state visit to Malaysia, and reciprocates Sultan Abdullah’s visit to Singapore in October 2022.

Noting that April will mark the first anniversary of the reopening of both countries’ borders to each other after they were closed during the Covid-19 pandemic , Madam Halimah said she was also heartened to know that there have since been slightly more than one million Singaporeans travelling to Malaysia each month through the land checkpoints alone.

“When the much-awaited Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is completed by 2026, connectivity between two already-close neighbours will be further strengthened,” she said.

Madam Halimah said that during her meeting with Singaporean and Malaysian business leaders on Monday, there was a “palpable sense” that companies were looking forward to the opportunities on both sides of the Causeway, from telecommunications and infrastructure to e-commerce and climate solutions.

Beyond economic ties, both countries have a shared history and ties of kinship, she said, noting that the King and Queen also have many personal connections to Singapore. For example, Sultan Abdullah won a gold medal for Malaysia in polo in the 1983 South-east Asia Games held in Singapore.

Madam Halimah said both countries must ensure that their young people continue to grow up familiar with one another, through arrangements such as bilateral education partnerships.

Additionally, with the external environment becoming more volatile and challenging, Singapore and Malaysia – as founding members of Asean and like-minded partners – must help to keep the region united and credible, she said.

“Without a stable external environment, all of us in Asean will find it harder to transform our economies and improve the lives of our peoples,” she added.

In his toast, Sultan Abdullah said he shared Madam Halimah’s sentiments that both countries should work together more closely, calling for collaborations in new and emerging areas such as the digital and green economies, and food security.

He noted the shared history, cultural similarities and people-to-people ties between both countries, adding: “I firmly believe the strong bond of friendship among our peoples will continue to be an important factor forming the core of our bilateral relationship.”

He added that as founding members of Asean, Malaysia and Singapore must continue to work closely in promoting the region’s stability and security, and in making Asean a dynamic regional grouping.

On Tuesday, Madam Halimah also received a state welcome ceremony at the Istana Negara, following which she and the King planted a gelam tree in the courtyard of the palace in Kuala Lumpur.

The tree planting ceremony is a tradition usually accorded only to rulers of each state in Malaysia when they visit the Istana Negara.

The gelam tree was picked for its significance in Singapore, with Kampong Glam named after it.

This preceded a ceremony at which an orchid was named in honour of Madam Halimah and her husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, who is accompanying her on the trip. It was the first time an orchid naming ceremony was part of a state visit by a foreign dignitary to Malaysia.

The Vanda Halimah Yacob Mohamed is a cross between the Vanda Kulwadee Fragrance and the Vanda tessellata. Each stalk of between 19cm and 24cm in length bears nine to 10 flowers that have white petals with bright violet-blue lips and purple spots.

Separately, Madam Halimah also received a call by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday at the St Regis hotel after her visit to the Istana Negara.

In a Facebook post, she said that the two of them reaffirmed the strong commitment of both countries to work constructively and pragmatically together, especially in an era of greater geopolitical uncertainty.

She also said that Singapore is confident that under Datuk Seri Anwar’s leadership, bilateral cooperation would strengthen across multiple domains and deliver concrete benefits to the people and businesses of both countries.

“We also discussed the importance of leaders promoting social unity in this post-pandemic world,” she added.

She said she told Mr Anwar about the work of various structures in Singapore to promote social cohesion, including key platforms such as the International Conference on Cohesive Societies, which she had started in 2019.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

• Halimah Yacob
• Singapore-Malaysia ties

Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards

Spin the wheel now

Singapore’s president undertakes three-day state visit to Malaysia beginning tomorrow

Halimah Yacob. — Bernama photo

PUTRAJAYA (March 19): Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob will undertake a state visit to Malaysia from March 20 to 22.

This will be the first State Visit to Malaysia by the President of the republic since 2013.

She will be accompanied by her spouse, Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee during the visit.

Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement today, said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will receive President Halimah in a State Welcoming Ceremony at Istana Negara on March 21.

Subsequently, she will have an audience with His Majesty, followed by a State Banquet in honour of President Halimah and her delegation.

The President’s delegation will comprise of Minister in Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling, and senior officials of the Government of Singapore.

During the visit, President Halimah is also scheduled to receive a courtesy call from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim where both leaders are expected to exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

This visit would further strengthen the longstanding ties and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, the statement read.

In 2022, Singapore was Malaysia’s second largest global trading partner and the largest among Asean countries, with total trade amounting to RM367.53 billion (US$83.53 billion) — an increase of 29.4 per cent compared to the recorded value in 2021. — Bernama

Sponsored links

• Sustainability
• Latest News
• News Reports
• Documentaries & Shows
• TV Schedule
• CNA938 Live
• Radio Schedule
• Singapore Parliament
• Mental Health
• Interactives
• Entertainment
• Style & Beauty
• Experiences
• Remarkable Living
• Send us a news tip
• Events & Partnerships
• Business Blueprint
• Health Matters
• The Asian Traveller

Trending Topics

Follow our news, recent searches, two visits, different perspectives: prabowo’s landmark trips abroad as indonesia president-elect raise eyebrows, advertisement.

How will Indonesia’s next leader navigate diplomacy with major powers? What about relations with Southeast Asian nations? Mr Prabowo’s rare pre-inauguration trips to China and Japan may yet yield some clues.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesia's President-elect Prabowo Subianto shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Apr 1, 2024. (Photo: China Daily via Reuters)

This audio is AI-generated.

SINGAPORE: No Indonesian president-elect is known to have formally visited any foreign country before assuming office at Merdeka Palace. That is, till now.

Mr Prabowo Subianto's visits to China and Japan before his likely October inauguration have garnered extensive coverage. Chinese media in particular have hyped up Mr Prabowo’s Beijing check-in, focusing on the fact that Indonesia’s next leader decided to visit China first.

While analysts are cautioning against reading too much into the visits, some say the developments - especially the choice of destination - provide further hints into the likely direction and conduct of Indonesia’s foreign policy under Mr Prabowo’s charge. 

At the same time, they believe that even as Indonesia navigates diplomacy with major powers, engagement with Southeast Asian states will also remain firmly on the radar under a Prabowo presidency, mirroring the stances taken by past Indonesian leaders.

“I expect the first official visit after Mr Prabowo takes office would be to neighbouring ASEAN countries,” said Mr Radityo Dharmaputra, a lecturer at the Department of International Relations in Surabaya’s Airlangga University.

BREAKING WITH TRADITION

China’s foreign ministry announced last week that Mr Prabowo would be visiting China from Mar 31 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, less than two months after winning the race to lead Southeast Asia’s biggest economy. 

The three-day visit saw Mr Prabowo meeting with Mr Xi in Beijing, where they reaffirmed bilateral ties and pledged support for closer relations. Mr Prabowo also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Midway through Mr Prabowo’s China stop, Japan announced that the former general would be swinging by thereafter for two days from Apr 2. While there, Mr Prabowo met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

“Under the comprehensive strategic partnership, as excellent partners, we would like to advance our bilateral relationship and cooperation in regional and international affairs,” said Mr Kishida after their Wednesday meeting as reported by Nikkei Asia.

The visits have generated plenty of media buzz, with outlets highlighting how it is Mr Prabowo’s first foreign tour since being elected president. Some also pointed out the novelty of an Indonesian president-elect making formal overseas visits.

No Indonesian president-elect has ever done so. Cases in point - outgoing president Joko Widodo; likewise for his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who won Indonesia’s first direct presidential election in 2004.

Still, analysts CNA spoke to have cautioned about reading too much into the developments.

Dr Christine Susanna Tjhin, co-founder and director of Gentala Institute, explained that in Indonesia, there is no legal instrument that regulates the authority and overseas visits of the president-elect. 

She believes the meeting with Mr Xi was a diplomatic courtesy from top Chinese leadership to Mr Prabowo, who was already scheduled to visit Beijing.

“The visit to China has actually been on the agenda of (Indonesia’s) Ministry of Defence since the end of 2023 or early 2024,” she added.

“The appointment of key ministerial positions and the actual official state visits after his inauguration will be more indicative of Mr Prabowo’s foreign policy direction.”

Expressing similar sentiments, Mr Radityo said the China visit might have been planned even before the presidential victory.

“Considering Indonesia is an important player in the region, I would say this is a good strategy from China to show that Mr Prabowo and Indonesia are important partners.”

TWO VISITS, DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

The trip to China by Mr Prabowo, who is also Indonesia’s current defence minister, was framed differently by China and Indonesia.

China’s foreign ministry referred to the 72-year-old as “president-elect of Indonesia and Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) general chairman” when announcing his visit. A spokesperson also underscored that China would be the first country visited by Mr Prabowo after being elected president.

President Xi himself brought up this point during their meeting. “You have chosen China as the destination of your first post-election visit, and made a special trip to China during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,” he told Mr Prabowo.

In comparison, Indonesia’s defence ministry referred to Mr Prabowo as “Minister of Defence” in a press release describing his meeting with President Xi. The spokesperson of Mr Prabowo’s presidential campaign also said he was visiting China as defence minister to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly on defence affairs.

Analysts say the focus by China on Mr Prabowo being Indonesia’s next leader is deliberate, especially as it vies with the United States for regional influence.

“It is China’s way of posturing, to show that they move faster than the US in dealing with (Indonesia’s) next president,” said international law professor Hikmahanto Juwana at the University of Indonesia.

“China’s move is to ensure the friendly diplomatic relationship and economic partnership under the current administration would be continued under the new administration. Hence, we saw a slightly ‘special treatment’ by Mr Xi towards Mr Prabowo in this visit,” Prof Juwana added.

Two-way trade between China and Indonesia was about US$150 billion in 2022, triple the tally back in 2013. Chinese investment in Indonesia came in at US$8.2 billion in 2022 as well, placing China as the country’s second-largest investor after Singapore.

IN FOCUS: What the remote Natuna islands reveal about Indonesia's stance on China

China open to deepen partnership with Indonesia, says Xi : State media

Infrastructure projects have been a key focus of Chinese investments - for example, the China-backed Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway which began commercial operations in October last year.

Chinese investments have also flowed heavily into nickel smelters. While bolstering the local industry and creating jobs, it has also provided Chinese firms reliable access to the metal, which is a key component in electric vehicle batteries. China is the world’s largest electric vehicle market.

China has long signalled how specifically significant Indonesia is, most prominently from President Xi’s speech at the Indonesian Parliament announcing the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in 2013, Dr Tjhin from Gentala Institute explained.

Still, she cautioned that Indonesia needs to be realistic. While China is Indonesia’s largest trading partner and second-largest for foreign direct investments, Indonesia is only ranked 16 on the list of China’s export destinations (about 2 per cent of total trade) and ranked 12 as an import partner (about 3 per cent of total trade) based on 2022 global trade data.

Against this backdrop, Dr Tjhin asserted that despite the positive prose by Beijing, Indonesia must be aware of the current reality and keep on improving the domestic situation while leveraging its strategic advantages in the region.

Economic considerations aside, Mr Radityo from Airlangga University believes China wants to build relations as soon as possible with Mr Prabowo. “This is not only about China’s interests in terms of economic policies and investments but also as a possible geopolitical ally in some issues regarding the world order.”

As for Mr Prabowo’s trip to Japan, coverage was relatively subdued compared to his China visit. Indonesian media had limited reports while Japanese news outlets covered it straight, citing the Apr 1 announcement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

Indonesia "is a comprehensive strategic partner (of Japan) that shares fundamental principles and values, and has historical ties (with Japan) in a wide range of fields such as politics, economy and culture," Mr Hayashi said as reported by Jiji Press.

ALIGNED ON BEING NON-ALIGNED?

Even as observers stress that it’s early days, they say Mr Prabowo’s trips to China and Japan suggest that he will likely maintain Indonesia’s long-standing non-aligned foreign policy.

Indonesia’s “independent and active” foreign policy is one that does not align with the superpowers nor does it bind the country to any military pact, stated Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi in November last year in an annual foreign policy publication by the Körber Foundation.

“It places great emphasis on an active role and engagement with all countries, guided by strategic autonomy and firm adherence to international law,” she added.

Mr Radityo pointed out that Mr Prabowo’s visit to Japan immediately after China is a “clever way” for him to show that Indonesia will remain in the middle as before, as Japan is considered a traditional ally of the US.

Dr Tjhin - a former China Study Group convenor at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Indonesia - told CNA the geographical proximity of both China and Japan’s visit is consistent with Mr Prabowo’s non-aligned messages.

Similarly, Dr Johanes Herlijanto, co-founder and chairman of Indonesian Sinology Forum, said China and Japan represent two different geopolitical camps. “His new administration will not want to be seen as leaning towards China. Mr Prabowo wants to continue the current policy," he added.

And even as Indonesia balances its relations with major powers, analysts believe engagement with Southeast Asian countries will remain front and centre for Jakarta.

Past Indonesian leaders have made no bones of the importance placed on relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. It has been a tradition since Mr Suharto’s presidency to visit neighbouring ASEAN countries for their first bilateral meeting.

Former president Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur, who was known for his frequent international trips almost every month, visited several ASEAN nations first before departing further afield to countries like the US and Japan.

His successor Ms Megawati Soekarnoputri - Indonesia’s first female president - launched a whirlwind regional tour a month after replacing Mr Wahid, visiting all ASEAN countries across eight days.

While not on the same scale, her successor Mr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and current president Joko Widodo also made it a point to visit ASEAN countries for their first bilateral outing - in their cases, it was Malaysia.

Analysts CNA spoke to firmly believe this trend of having a Southeast Asian nation as the first bilateral port of call will be maintained by Mr Prabowo, and that ASEAN centrality will continue as the cornerstone of Indonesia’s foreign policy.

“Mr Prabowo has mentioned how ASEAN is key to regional security and stability - not just in terms of military capacity, but also for its regional economic sector,” said Dr Tjhin.

Additional reporting by Lakeisha Leo

Related Topics

Also worth reading, this browser is no longer supported.

We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.

To continue, upgrade to a supported browser or, for the finest experience, download the mobile app.

Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us

• Net Zero 2050
• Editor’s Choice
• Entrepreneur
• Environment
• Human Resource
• Travel & Dining

Indonesia’s President-Elect Prabowo Arrives For Special Visit (Updated)

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Ram assigns aa2 to genting plantation unit’s rm2 billion sukuk, china says most capital goods saw price decline in march, ram assigns aaa to klccp proposed rm5 billion sukuk, leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Kenanga Proposes Share Buy Back Of Up To 10%

Indonesia's president-elect visits Malaysia

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2024-04-04 15:20:32

KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with Indonesia's President-elect Prabowo Subianto on Thursday on closer bilateral ties, Malaysia's national news agency Bernama reported.

While congratulating Prabowo on his election, Anwar expressed hope that friendship between the two neighboring countries would remain strong and strengthen further for mutual benefit.

Prabowo arrived in Malaysia on Wednesday for a special visit. He has also met with Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin during his stay here, according to the Bernama report. ■