SINGAPORE – President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have written to Johor’s ruler, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, to congratulate the 65-year-old, who became Malaysia’s 17th king on Jan 31.

Sultan Ibrahim ascended the throne after taking the oath of office at the national palace in Kuala Lumpur in a ceremony attended by several dignitaries, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

In his letter, shared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Tharman extended his “warmest congratulations”, expressing his confidence that the King would bring Malaysia to greater heights with his counsel and guidance.

“Singapore and Malaysia share a close friendship that is built on strong people-to-people ties, besides the close cooperation between our governments and longstanding business relationships.

“I look forward to working with Your Majesty to ensure that these bonds continue to flourish, for the mutual benefit of both our peoples,” wrote Mr Tharman, who also invited Sultan Ibrahim to come to Singapore for a state visit.

PM Lee wrote in a separate letter: “Your vision of a cohesive and forward-looking Malaysia augurs well for the country’s next bound of development.”

With increasing instability around the world, he added that the partnership between Singapore and Malaysia would be extremely important “for the continued prosperity and security of our peoples”.

Describing the relationship between the two neighbours as “multifaceted and enduring”, PM Lee said: “Singapore looks forward to strengthening our friendship and cooperation during Your Majesty’s reign.”

Correction note: In an earlier version of this story, it was stated that Sultan Ibrahim was crowned after taking the oath of office. This is incorrect. He was sworn in as Malaysia’s new king. We are sorry for the error.