Singapore, Pahang to explore cooperation in areas of mutual interest
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Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong had an audience with His Royal Highness The Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah.
PHOTO: MDDI
PAHANG - Singapore and Pahang have agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation, for instance by strengthening business links, said a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The PMO spokesperson said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah met on May 5, and reaffirmed their warm and longstanding ties.
“They noted the positive state of bilateral relations and agreed to explore cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including strengthening business linkages,” the spokesperson added.
SM Lee is in Pahang at the invitation of the Sultan of Pahang, who was Malaysia’s king from 2019 to 2024. The position of head of the monarchy rotates among the states.
On May 5, SM Lee and his wife, Mrs Lee, had an audience with the Sultan of Pahang at Istana Abdulaziz in the city of Kuantan, along with the Sultan’s wife, the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
Also present were members of the Pahang royal family including Crown Prince of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, Tengku Arif Bendahara Tengku Muhammad Iskandar Ri’ayatuddin Shah and Tengku Panglima Raja Brigadier General Tengku Amir Nasser Ibrahim Shah.
Pahang State Executive Councillor for investments, industry, science, technology and innovation, Dato’ Mohamad Nizar Najib, was also in attendance.
The Singapore delegation included Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Social and Family Development Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Joan Pereira, and High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur Vanu Gopala Menon.
In a Facebook post, SM Lee said the visit reflects the close ties between Singapore and Pahang and the “importance of continuing our engagement and cooperation”.
The meeting is part of SM Lee’s five-day trip to Malaysia, covering the states of Pahang and Terengganu. He is scheduled to visit other leaders including Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who is also chairman of Perikatan Nasional, Malaysia’s main opposition alliance.
On May 5, SM Lee also visited the Kuantan Art Street at Jalan Mahkota, where he was given a tour of the murals done by locals, including a large painting of a cat. He also went up Kuantan 188 – a 188m tall observation tower located next to the Kuantan River. He walked along the skydeck, which provides a bird’s-eye view of the city.
In a social media post on May 4, SM Lee said his visit to Malaysia builds on the strong momentum of bilateral exchanges between the two countries, and he hopes that it will strengthen Singapore’s longstanding and multifaceted ties with Malaysia’s states and their leaders.
