PUTRAJAYA – Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today expressed hope that restrictions, in the form of the postponement of arrangements agreed earlier between Malaysia and Singapore, can be lifted soon in the interest of bilateral relations.
These include the Reciprocal Green Lane, Periodic Commuting Arrangement and Daily Commuting Arrangement.
The matter was made known by Muhyiddin in a Facebook post on the courtesy call paid on him by Singaporean Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who is on an official two-day visit to Malaysia to discuss bilateral ties.
During their meeting, said Muhyiddin, Dr Balakrishnan extended an invitation by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to attend the 10th Malaysia-Singapore Annual Leaders’ Retreat.
“I took note of Singapore’s proposal to be the host for the retreat this year, after it was postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
On a proposal for mutual recognition of the coronavirus vaccination certificate, he called for cooperation at the technical level to continue.
Agreeing with Dr Balakrishnan that Covid-19 has posed new challenges to both countries, Muhyiddin said the pandemic should nevertheless not be an obstacle to efforts to step up cooperation.
During the meeting, the prime minister also touched on the current situation in Myanmar and Asean’s direction in handling the crisis.
“At the end of the meeting, I expressed Malaysia’s commitment to not only maintain the existing good relations with Singapore, but also to strengthen ties.”
Dr Balakrishnan was accompanied by Singaporean High Commissioner to Malaysia Vanu Gopala Menon and Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Chee Wee Kiong.
On the Malaysian side were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob. – Bernama, March 23, 2021
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