Visit by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean to Brunei Darussalam , 13 to 15 July 2021

Senior Minister (SM) and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean is visiting Brunei Darussalam from 13 to 15 July 2021 as the Singapore Government’s representative to attend the 75^th birthday celebrations of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. SM Teo is accompanied by Mrs Teo Poh Yim and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

SM Teo had an audience with His Royal Highness Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei Darussalam, earlier today. The two leaders underscored the importance of the Singapore-Brunei Young Leaders’ Programme (YLP). SM Teo extended an invitation to His Royal Highness to visit Singapore for the next YLP soon. SM also met various Bruneian Ministers and senior officials over the last two days.

On 15 July, SM Teo will attend the Royal Guard of Honour Ceremony and Investiture Ceremony in the morning and have an audience with His Majesty in the afternoon.

President Halimah Yacob, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat, SM Teo, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan have written to congratulate His Majesty on the occasion of his 75^th birthday. The text of the letters is appended.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

14 JULY 2021

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Mrs Teo Poh Yim with Crown Prince His Royal Highness Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Mrs Teo Poh Yim with Crown Prince His Royal Highness Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

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Letter from President Halimah Yacob to the Sultan

12 July 2021

His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah

Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah

Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam

Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance and Economy and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

On behalf of the people of Singapore, I extend my heartiest congratulations to Your Majesty on the occasion of your 75th birthday.

Your Majesty’s leadership has brought peace, prosperity, and development for the people of Brunei. The efforts of Your Majesty’s government have ensured that Brunei has successfully managed the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic within its borders.

  I fondly recall my state visit to Brunei in 2018 where I had a first hand opportunity to witness Brunei’s development and the wide-ranging cooperation between our two countries. I am confident that the special relationship between Singapore and Brunei, nurtured through generations of leaders, will grow from strength to strength in the years ahead.

My husband and I would like to take this opportunity to wish Your Majesty and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha good health, happiness and success.

Yours sincerely,

HALIMAH YACOB

Letter from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to the Sultan

12 July 2021

Your Majesty,

Ho Ching and I offer our warmest congratulations on the joyous occasion of Your Majesty’s 75th birthday.

Since independence, Your Majesty’s leadership has guided Brunei through various challenges to ensure the continued prosperity of all Bruneians. The extraordinary success of Your Majesty’s government in combating COVID-19 has ensured that Bruneians can continue their daily lives with minimal disruption. Our region has benefitted immensely from Brunei’s chairmanship of ASEAN during this critical period.

Singapore and Brunei are longstanding friends who have worked together in many areas including defence, financial cooperation and in the education sphere. I look forward to continue working with Your Majesty in further deepening our bilateral ties.

Ho Ching and I wish Your Majesty, Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, and members of the royal family continued good health and happiness.

Yours sincerely,

LEE HSIEN LOONG

His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah

Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah

Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam

Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance and Economy and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Brunei Darussalam

Letter from Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat to the Sultan

12 July 2021

His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah

Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam

Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance and Economy and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

My congratulations to Your Majesty on the joyous occasion of Your Majesty’s 75^th birthday.

2 Under Your Majesty’s stewardship, the Brunei government has successfully tackled the challenges posed by COVID-19. It is testament to Your Majesty’s wisdom that Brunei’s COVID-19 situation is excellent and the domestic economy performing commendably. 

3 Our countries have fostered a special relationship which has stood the test of time. Singapore will continue to build upon this strong foundation and explore new areas of cooperation, such as Fintech and Agro-technology cooperation,for the mutual benefit of our peoples. With Your Majesty’s strong support, I believe that the future holds even greater promise for our bilateral ties.

4 My wife Hwee Nee and I extend our warmest wishes for Your Majesty and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha’s continued good health and happiness.

Yours sincerely

HENG SWEE KEAT

Letter from Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean to the Sultan

12 July 2021

His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah

Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam

Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance and Economy and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

Please accept, Your Majesty, my best wishes on the occasion of Your Majesty’s 75^th birthday.

Brunei’s development is testimony to Your Majesty’s vision and drive.Singapore is honoured to have in Brunei a steadfast friend and partner. We have developed close links at all levels of government and society, and have excellent cooperation at both the bilateral and regional levels.

I have always enjoyed and benefitted from my audiences and engagements with Your Majesty over many years. I hope to have the opportunity to meet Your Majesty in-person again soon.

My wife Poh Yim joins me in wishing Your Majesty and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha continued good health, happiness, and success.

Yours sincerely,

TEO CHEE HEAN

Letter from Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong to the Sultan

12 July 2021

His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah

Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam

Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance and Economy and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

  My heartiest congratulations on the special occasion of Your Majesty’s 75th birthday.

  Brunei has enjoyed lasting peace and prosperity under Your Majesty’s benevolent rule. With your abiding friendship with Singapore leaders, past and present, our two countries built ever closer ties.

  Beyond our bilateral relations, I will always appreciate Your Majesty’s support for closer cooperation among ASEAN Member States and for regional integration while I was Prime Minister.

  My wife and I wish Your Majesty and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha continued good health and success.

Yours respectfully,

GOH CHOK TONG

Letter from Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan to the Sultan

12 July 2021

His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah

Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam

Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance and Economy and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

My heartfelt congratulations to Your Majesty on the happy occasion of Your Majesty’s 75th birthday.

  Singapore and Brunei enjoy a special relationship underpinned by close institutional and people-to-people ties. Your Majesty’s unwavering support for this relationship between our nations has been crucial in enabling us to deepen cooperation in many new areas and for the mutual benefit of our peoples. Singapore is grateful for Brunei’s leadership in advancing regional integration and development during Brunei’s current term as ASEAN chair.

  Joy and I wish Your Majesty and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha good health and every success.

Yours sincerely,

DR VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN