Singapore, Brunei hail strong ties as four new pacts are signed

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Brunei and Singapore worked closely on vaccines, supply chains and connectivity, supporting each other in weathering the storm together, President Halimah Yacob said yesterday.

Two and a half years on, both have emerged stronger, and endured as havens of peace and stability in a world increasingly beset by geopolitical competition, uncertainty and fault lines, she added.

She was speaking at a state banquet at the Istana for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, who is on a two-day state visit to Singapore.

Both countries are working on new avenues for cooperation in areas of mutual strategic interest, she noted, citing four new agreements covering energy and the green economy, trade and investment in food and medical products, youth education and public service capacity development.

"We have defied the odds to succeed," she said. "As small countries, we must continue to stay united, while being nimble, open and connected to the rest of the world."

Sultan Bolkiah's state visit here is his fifth, and the high point of a series of top-level exchanges following the reopening of both countries' borders. The visits are testament to their special relationship.

Last month, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife, Madam Ho Ching, attended Sultan Bolkiah's 76th birthday celebrations and received royal honours. Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah led a delegation for the 8th Singapore-Brunei Young Leaders' Programme here this month.

Yesterday, Sultan Bolkiah was given a ceremonial welcome before he called on the President.

Madam Halimah said his unstinting support for bilateral ties enabled both sides to build on the solid foundation laid by founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Sultan Bolkiah's father, the late Seri Begawan. These relations are underpinned by longstanding defence and economic cooperation.

Singapore remains grateful for Brunei's provision of jungle training areas to the Singapore Armed Forces, she said, adding: "The Currency Interchangeability Agreement established in 1967 remains a shining symbol of our mutual trust and deep interdependence."

Madam Halimah also noted that as the Asean chair last year, Brunei steered the region through the pandemic and brought Asean closer to its goal of a people-centric, inclusive and forward-looking region.

"As the two smallest countries in Asean, we have shared a strong and natural affinity from the very outset. By standing shoulder to shoulder, our strong partnership has amplified our voices on the regional and international stages. It has also helped us flourish as two sovereign nations which our peoples can be proud of," she said.

Sultan Bolkiah said he was pleased both countries came together during the pandemic, and credited the founding leaders' wisdom, friendship and confidence and trust built over the years for enabling the currency agreement and close defence cooperation.

He expressed gratitude for Singapore's contribution of medical equipment and vaccines at the peak of the pandemic, and when Covid-19 vaccines were in short supply globally.

"Now, as we learn to live in a new normal, we are increasingly faced with new challenges, the most recent being supply chains' disruption due to geopolitical tensions happening elsewhere," he added.

"We have already realised that as small countries we cannot fight the currents of uncertainty on our own. Therefore, I am happy that we are working together to ensure our resilience, particularly through several MOUs which have been signed during this visit."

Two of the memorandums of understanding were signed by Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong and Brunei's Minister of Finance and Economy II Amin Liew Abdullah. Under the MOU on Cooperation in Energy and Green Economy, both sides will strengthen collaboration in areas such as emerging low-carbon technologies including hydrogen and solar energy, in carbon capture and storage, and in carbon markets.

The MOU on Strengthening Trade and Investment Cooperation in Food and Medical Products will see both sides developing the capacity and capability to mutually support each other in times of crisis, such as facilitating the efficient movement of food and medical products between Singapore and Brunei.

Meanwhile, the MOU on youth education scholarship will support more young Bruneians to study in Singapore, and the MOU on Cooperation in Public Service Capacity Development will facilitate the exchange of best governance practices between both civil services.

Madam Halimah said some of the ideas discussed during Prince Billah's visit had translated to the MOUs, and looked forward to them bringing tangible benefits to both countries and their peoples, especially the younger generation.

The Sultan's visit ends today.