Malaysia-S’pore student exchanges key to planting seeds of trust, cooperation: Chan Chun Sing
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Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing (left) met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during his first official visit to Malaysia.
PHOTO: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
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SINGAPORE – Regular exchange programmes for students and undergraduates can play a key role in planting seeds of trust and cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing.
Speaking in Malaysia’s administrative capital of Putrajaya on Aug 26, Mr Chan said such regular exchanges can even be extended to include government officials.
He said: “Even for our government officials, we also should have regular exchanges because this is how we build a deep understanding of each other’s needs and interests, for us to be able to work together.”
The armed forces of both nations have long carried out joint exercises and other operations, he added.
“All these regular interactions and exchanges are fundamental to helping our people build up the trust with one another,” he said.
Addressing an audience at the National Centre for Defence Studies that included about 200 students, Mr Chan, who is also Coordinating Minister for Public Services, touched on the shared interests between both nations.
He cited Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May
Mr Chan also outlined the robust economic ties between Singapore and Malaysia, as well as the strong working relationship between both nations in multilateral platforms like the Five Power Defence Arrangements and a raft of Asean platforms, like the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
He said: “It is evident that Malaysia and Singapore have more commonalities than differences... It bears repeating that the competition is never between Malaysia and Singapore, but with the rest of the world.
“We have an interest to see each other succeed.”
Mr Chan’s visit to Malaysia is his first since taking on the defence portfolio, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said on Aug 26.
During his trip, Mr Chan met Datuk Seri Anwar, and both leaders reaffirmed the close ties between Singapore and Malaysia.
They also discussed regional security developments, including the situation along the Thai and Cambodian border
During the two-day visit, which began on Aug 25, Mr Chan met his counterpart, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and both men reaffirmed the warm and longstanding bilateral relationship between Singapore and Malaysia.
They discussed regional security developments and cooperation between the two countries, and witnessed the inking of a deal for mutual submarine rescue support and cooperation between both navies.
Mr Khaled said the deal will allow both countries to respond more quickly and effectively during submarine emergencies, seeing as they share strategic waterways, reported Malaysian news outlet Bernama.
He said: “We believe that collaboration with any country, such as Singapore, can help us in the event of a disaster... to get cooperation from other countries, it might take time due to distance factors.
“Based on the Asean spirit and with Singapore being a neighbouring country, it is appropriate for us to have such cooperation.”
Mr Chan also met Malaysia’s Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, and talked about ways to further civil service exchanges in areas like urban planning and housing development such as through study visits.
