SM Lee Hsien Loong to Visit Brunei Darussalam (July 2026)

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will visit Brunei Darussalam from 14 to 17 July 2026 as the Singapore Government’s representative to the 80th birthday celebrations of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. Senior Minister Lee will be accompanied by Mrs Lee and Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming.

As part of the official celebrations, Senior Minister Lee will attend the Royal Guard of Honour Parade and the Investiture Ceremony on 15 July as well as the Royal Banquet on 16 July. Senior Minister Lee will have audiences with the Sultan and other members of the Royal Family. Senior Minister Lee will also meet various Bruneian Ministers and Singapore Armed Forces personnel training in Brunei. 

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee, and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong have written congratulatory letters to His Majesty on his 80th birthday. The text of the respective letters is appended.

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PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
SINGAPORE
13 July 2026

Annex A

Letter from President to the Sultan

13 July 2026

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni
Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien
Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam
Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Finance
Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

On behalf of the people of Singapore, I extend my warmest congratulations on Your Majesty’s 80^th birthday.

Under Your Majesty’s wise and far-sighted leadership, Brunei has enjoyed decades of peace, stability, and progress. Your Majesty’s enlightened vision for Brunei’s modernisation and development has uplifted the lives of generations of Bruneians.

Your Majesty has also played a pivotal role in fostering a special and enduring relationship between our two nations. It is a relationship that can be traced back to the friendship and camaraderie between the late Seri Begawan and Mr Lee Kuan Yew, and that has grown with the personal bonds that Your Majesty has forged with each and every Singapore Prime Minister.

I have had the privilege of interacting with Your Majesty on several occasions from early in the years when I was in politics and government, and personally witnessed how Singapore and Brunei have maintained a steady, mutually respectful and deepening relationship under your leadership.

Singapore is grateful for Your Majesty’s steadfast support for our bilateral ties, which has brought our partnership to new heights and will benefit generations to come.

My wife Jane and I wish Your Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri continued good health, and many more years of bliss, and happiness. We look forward to welcoming Your Majesties to Singapore again soon.

Yours Sincerely,

Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Letter from PM to the Sultan

13 July 2026

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni
Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien
Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam
Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Finance
Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

My heartiest congratulations to Your Majesty on the joyous occasion of Your Majesty’s 80^th birthday. As a mark of respect to Your Majesty on this special occasion, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming will attend Your Majesty’s birthday celebrations on behalf of the Singapore Government.

Since Brunei’s independence in 1984, Your Majesty has adroitly steered the country through exceptional challenges in a rapidly changing world. Like Singapore, Brunei is a small country that must stand on its own feet and remain open to the rest of the world. That Bruneians from all walks of life enjoy peace, harmony, and prosperity today is truly a testament to Your Majesty’s distinguished stewardship.

With Your Majesty’s unwavering support over the years, the special relationship that our two countries share has withstood the test of time. Our strong bilateral defence and monetary cooperation have been a cornerstone of our robust relationship. I am glad that we are commemorating the 50^th anniversary of defence ties in 2026 and the 60^th anniversary of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement in 2027. I am confident that our collaboration, based on mutual trust and respect, will strengthen further in the years ahead and bring forth even more opportunities for our peoples’ development and well-being.

My wife and I send Your Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri our best wishes for the continued good health and happiness of Your Majesties.

Yours Sincerely,

Lawrence Wong

Letter from SM to the Sultan

13 July 2026

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni
Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien
Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam
Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Finance
Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the momentous occasion of Your Majesty’s 80^th birthday. This is a historic milestone and it is only fitting that all Bruneians come together to honour the Sultan whom they deeply love and respect.

My father cherished his ties with the Seri Begawan. Together, they laid the foundations for the special and trusted friendship between our two nations. It has been my distinct privilege to partner Your Majesty in continuing that endeavour, and I am heartened that the next generation of leaders on both sides fully appreciate the significance of our important relationship and are committed to growing it into the future.

Ho Ching and I wish Your Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri good health and much happiness. We are honoured to attend Your Majesty’s birthday celebrations in Brunei and look forward to celebrating the joyous occasion with Your Majesties.

Yours Sincerely,

Lee Hsien Loong

Letter from ESM to the Sultan

13 July 2026

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni
Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien
Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam
Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Finance
Brunei Darussalam

Your Majesty,

Please accept my best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Your Majesty’s 80^th birthday. You are now an esteemed octogenarian!

It was my privilege and good fortune to have worked closely with Your Majesty to enhance our bilateral ties. Our countries remain firm friends today. In the years ahead, I am confident that Singapore and Brunei will continue to seek new pathways of cooperation for the betterment of our people.

My wife, Choo Leng, joins me in wishing Your Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri the very best of health and happiness.

Yours Respectfully,

Goh Chok Tong