MFA Press Statement: Visit of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Of Brunei Darussalam

His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, visited Singapore today to attend the Singapore Airshow.

His Majesty paid a courtesy call on President Tony Tan Keng Yam. Both leaders welcomed the close and strong ties between Brunei and Singapore, and reaffirmed their commitment to further increase bilateral cooperation across a wide range of fields including defence, finance and people-to-people exchanges. Both leaders also agreed on the importance of working closely in ASEAN to ensure regional stability, particularly in today's unpredictable global climate.

His Majesty also had an audience for Mr Lee Kuan Yew at the Istana this afternoon.

His Majesty and His Majesty's delegation were hosted to dinner by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong this evening. PM Lee thanked the Sultan for His Majesty's strong support of the Singapore Airshow and for the close defence relationship between Singapore and Brunei. Both leaders also exchanged views on regional and international developments, and discussed various proposals to strengthen the bilateral relationship even further. Other guests present were Brunei's Minister of Finance II at the Prime Minister's Office Pehin Haji Abdul Rahman Ibrahim and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II Pehin Lim Jock Seng, as well as Singapore's Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam.

His Majesty's visit underscores the excellent state of Singapore-Brunei relations and reaffirms the warm and long-standing ties between our nations. The two countries have regular exchanges of high-level visits, and work closely bilaterally and in regional and international fora.

. . . . .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
16 FEBRUARY 2012