[KUALA LUMPUR] Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will make a two-day official visit to Malaysia’s administrative capital Putrajaya to attend the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat, during which the two countries are expected to sign an agreement to formalise the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
The trip, which takes place on Monday (Jan 6) and Tuesday, was originally scheduled to take place in December but had to be postponed after PM Wong tested positive for Covid-19 for the first time.
Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement on Sunday that the annual retreat is a vital platform for the prime ministers of the two countries to set the overall direction for bilateral cooperation, and identify new ways to further enhance connectivity to deliver tangible benefits to Singaporeans and Malaysians.
The retreat – which takes place as Singapore and Malaysia celebrate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations this year – will be hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The JS-SEZ deal aims to bring mutual benefits to businesses and people from both sides, including enhancing the flow of goods and people, improving the ease of doing business, and supporting talent development.
The SEZ was officially announced in October 2023 during PM Anwar’s visit to Singapore for the previous retreat. Both countries then signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last January to finalise an agreement to set up the zone by the end of 2024.
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In a written interview with the Utusan Malaysia newspaper on Sunday, PM Wong said that the Singapore government will pay attention to ensure that Singapore businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, will have the necessary information and capabilities to make full use of the JS-SEZ.
“Agencies on both sides will have to ensure that the SEZ continues to be updated to meet the needs of our businesses, and work closely with key partners to prepare and train our workers for the new jobs that will be created from this project,” he added.
PM Wong also noted in the interview that bilateral trade has been on the rise, and that investment flows “remain robust”. In 2022, Singapore was the top source of foreign direct investment in Malaysia. Malaysia also consistently ranks as one of the top destinations in Asean for Singapore investments.
“Singapore companies see many opportunities in diverse fields in Malaysia – manufacturing, hospitality, electronics, food and others,” said PM Wong.
In a separate release on Sunday, Malaysia’s foreign affairs ministry noted that Singapore and Malaysia remain each other’s second-largest trading partners, with bilateral trade amounting to nearly US$78.6 billion from January to November 2024, a 6.7 per cent increase from the same period in 2023.
Constructive efforts
During the retreat, both sides will also continue constructive efforts towards managing outstanding bilateral issues, taking into account Singapore’s and Malaysia’s interdependencies and shared commitment to forward-looking ties, said PMO in its statement.
On Monday evening, Anwar will host a dinner for the Singapore leader.
On Tuesday, PM Wong will attend an official welcome ceremony, followed by a meeting between both leaders and their delegations.
The two premiers will also witness the exchange of several bilateral agreements and MOUs that “reflect the multifaceted and mutually beneficial partnership across various domains”, said the PMO statement.
PM Wong noted in the Utusan Malaysia interview that Singapore and Malaysia “are better off” when the two neighbours are “stable, successful and prosperous”, adding that both sides can collaborate and invest in each other and plan for the long term.
“With Prime Minister Anwar at the helm in the last two years, Malaysia has enjoyed greater political and economic stability, and is developing rapidly. Bilaterally, I appreciate (his) strong support for our cooperation across many areas,” he said.
“I was honoured that (he) was the first foreign leader to call and congratulate me after I took on my appointment as prime minister (in May 2024).”
While in Putrajaya, PM Wong will be accompanied by his wife and various Cabinet ministers. They are Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong; Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan; Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam; Education Minister Chan Chun Sing; Social and Family Development Minister and Second Health Minister Masagos Zulkifli; National Development Minister Desmond Lee; Transport Minister and Second Finance Minister Chee Hong Tat; and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann.
During PM Wong’s absence, DPM Heng Swee Keat will be the Acting Prime Minister.