PM Wong to visit Putrajaya for Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will make an official visit to Putrajaya from Monday (Jan 6) to Tuesday for the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat, where both sides will sign several bilateral agreements.

He will be hosted by his counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, according to a statement from Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Sunday (Jan 5).

The annual retreat is a platform for both leaders to set the overall direction for bilateral cooperation and identify new ways to further enhance connectivity to deliver tangible benefits to Singaporeans and Malaysians, the PMO said.

Both sides will also continue constructive efforts towards managing outstanding bilateral issues, “taking into account their abiding interdependencies and shared commitment to forward-looking ties”, the PMO added.

The retreat – Mr Wong’s first since becoming prime minister last May – was originally scheduled for Dec 8 to 9 last year but was postponed after he tested positive for COVID-19.

RELATIONSHIP "UNLIKE ANY OTHER"

In an interview with Malay language newspaper Utusan Malaysia, published on Sunday, Mr Wong said Singapore and Malaysia have a relationship "unlike any other", with a rich history and deep interdependency.

For example, both countries depended on each other when COVID-19 struck, and worked together to tackle the pandemic, he added.

When asked about how Malaysia's rapid changes in leadership have affected Singapore, Mr Wong said: "We are better off when our neighbours are stable, successful and prosperous. We can collaborate and invest in each other, and plan for the long term."

“With Prime Minister Anwar at the helm in the last two years, Malaysia has enjoyed greater political and economic stability, and is developing rapidly.

“Bilaterally, I appreciate Prime Minister Anwar’s strong support for our cooperation across many areas. I was honoured that Prime Minister Anwar was the first foreign leader to call and congratulate me after I took on my appointment as Prime Minister.”

On the water issue between Singapore and Malaysia, a constant source of political wrangling over the years, Mr Wong said it is “natural for issues to arise from time to time between next door neighbours”.

“The key is in the way we manage our existing differences pragmatically, taking into account the overall relationship. Because some issues cannot be resolved in a hurry,” he said.

“On water, we have worked well together. For example, in the 1990s, both countries agreed to build the Linggiu Dam to increase the yield of the Johor River to ensure its sustainable supply. It is important for both our countries to ensure that the Johor River continues to have sufficient water. Especially since Johor’s own water needs will grow over time.

“There are many ways we can work together on this. Our officials have been discussing the enhancement of our cooperation on water issues. I also welcome Malaysia’s assurance to continue to honour the 1962 Johore River Water Agreement,” said Mr Wong.

When asked if trade between Singapore and Malaysia is still strong, despite the political instability in Putrajaya since 2018 after the ouster of former prime minister Najib Razak, Mr Wong said that bilateral trade has been on the rise, and investment flows remain robust. 

He said that Malaysia consistently ranks as one of the top ASEAN destinations for Singapore investments, with Singapore the top source of foreign direct investment into Malaysia in 2022.

According to Malaysia’s foreign ministry, there will be a joint agreement at the Leaders’ Retreat on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The proposed SEZ aims to boost the Johor economy through economic cooperation with Singapore, and both countries signed a memorandum of understanding in January last year.  

“We will pay particular attention to ensuring that our businesses, including small and medium enterprises, have the necessary information and capabilities to make full use of the SEZ,” said Mr Wong.

“Agencies on both sides will have to ensure that the SEZ continues to be updated to meet the needs of our businesses, and work closely with key partners to prepare and train our workers for the new jobs that will be created from this project.

Both sides will also sign a letter of intent on education, women and social welfare, climate change, carbon capture and storage, urban development and combatting transnational crimes, Malaysia’s foreign ministry said.

Responding to a question on how the movement of people between Singapore and Malaysia can be improved, Mr Wong added that the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will begin operations by end-2026, and carry more passengers in an hour than the existing KTM Tebrau Shuttle service in a day.

Singapore is also planning to redevelop Woodlands Checkpoint to better meet long-term growth, Mr Wong said.

During the interview, Mr Wong also spoke about the importance of ASEAN, praising the Southeast Asian bloc for helping the diverse region to develop norms, prioritise dialogue, find ways to cooperate, and avoid conflict.

When asked about the dispute in the South China Sea, where some ASEAN members including the Philippines and Vietnam have overlapping claims with China, Mr Wong said Singapore is not a claimant state and does not take any sides in the dispute.

He called for all parties to avoid escalation and work towards resolved the disputes peacefully, and ensure that all actions are in line with international law.

During the retreat, Malaysia PM Anwar will host a dinner for PM Wong on Jan 6 and accompanying ministers will engage their Malaysian counterparts and other Malaysian ministers. The next day, Mr Wong will attend an official welcome ceremony and a meeting between both delegations.

Both leaders will witness the exchange of several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding “which reflect the multifaceted and mutually beneficial partnership across various domains”, the PMO said.

According to Singapore’s Trade and Industry Ministry, Malaysia was Singapore’s third largest trading partner in 2023 with bilateral trade of US$92.1 billion. Singapore was also Malaysia’s largest source of foreign investment, contributing US$9.6 billion or 23.2 per cent of Malaysia's total foreign investments in 2023.

Mr Wong, who is also the finance minister, will be accompanied by Mrs Wong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam, Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat, and Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Development Sim Ann.

In his absence, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will be Acting Prime Minister, the PMO said.