Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Ng Chee Meng received a prestigious state award from the Sultan of Brunei on Tuesday afternoon.

He was conferred the "Most Exalted Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang - First Class", the highest Bruneian award presented to foreign armed forces chiefs.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the award reflects the strong and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and Brunei.

The armed forces of both countries interact regularly, including high-level visits, professional exchanges, cross-attendance of courses and bilateral exercises.