Brunei’s Crown Prince calls on PM Wong during Singapore visit

SINGAPORE — Brunei Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah met with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Istana on Sept 29, as part of his official visit to Singapore for the 12th Singapore-Brunei Young Leaders’ Programme (YLP).

Billah, who is also Senior Minister at Brunei’s Prime Minister’s Office, was also hosted to lunch by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

SM Lee said in a Facebook post that he had a good catch-up with the Crown Prince, and that the two leaders had a cordial discussion about developments in both countries. They also discussed how Singapore and Brunei can strengthen the special relationship they share.

“Our longstanding partnership has been anchored in close personal ties between leaders on both sides. We must continue nurturing such ties, so that they endure and deepen into the next generation,” said SM Lee.

The lunch was attended by members of the Bruneian delegation, and on the Singapore side by Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat, Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad, Acting Manpower Minister Jasmin Lau, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Transport Baey Yam Keng, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang.

SM Lee last met Billah when he visited Brunei in July, on the occasion of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s 80th birthday.

Billah is in Singapore for a five-day official visit. Besides co-chairing the YLP, he will be hosted by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and other Singapore leaders, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Sept 27.

Launched in 2013, the YLP provides a platform for leaders from both countries to discuss ways to advance their partnership in areas of shared interest, including the digital and green economies, finance, defence and food security.

This is the fourth time that PM Wong and Billah are co-chairing the annual programme.

Billah is accompanied by a delegation comprising Brunei Minister of Transport and Info-Communication Awang Mohammed Riza and senior officials.

His itinerary includes visits to Tuas Port, SAFTI City, Temasek Shophouse, the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine, Sultan Mosque, the Malay Heritage Centre, the Singapore Oceanarium, Punggol Digital District and the Singapore Institute of Technology, said MFA.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of defence ties between Singapore and Brunei. In 2027, the two countries will commemorate the 60th anniversary of their Currency Interchangeability Agreement.