Brunei Crown Prince ends visit to Singapore

SINGAPORE – Brunei Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah on Sept 14 concluded his five-day official visit to Singapore for the 10th Singapore-Brunei Young Leaders’ Programme (YLP).

The programme has fostered close personal ties between the next generation of leaders from Singapore and Brunei over the past 10 years, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement said.

During his visit, Crown Prince Billah was hosted to meals by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean.

The leaders had good discussions on developments in Singapore and Brunei, as well as various global and regional challenges.

During these engagements, Crown Prince Billah reaffirmed the importance of the Singapore-Brunei relationship, and both countries’ shared commitment to strengthening it for mutual benefit, the statement said.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Brunei in 2024, PM Wong and Crown Prince Billah

unveiled the design for the commemorative stamps

jointly issued by Singapore Post and Brunei Post.

The 11th YLP will be hosted by Brunei in 2025.

Warm personal ties between leaders forged over frequent high-level visits underscore the strength of bilateral relations.

PM Wong had

described Brunei as Singapore’s “special and most trusted partner”

when he visited Brunei in June on his first overseas trip since he took office in May, continuing a tradition for new leaders to kick off introductory visits in the region with Brunei. 

In January, Mr Tharman travelled to Brunei

for his first overseas state visit as president

.

Longstanding defence and financial cooperation underpin bilateral ties between Singapore and Brunei. 

The Singapore Armed Forces has been training in Brunei’s Temburong jungles since 1976.

The currencies of both countries have been interchangeable at the same rate since 1967.