KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will undertake an official visit to Bandar Seri Begawan from tomorrow in conjunction with the 23rd Malaysia-Brunei Darussalam Annual Leaders’ Consultation.
The Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement today said the short visit from April 4 to 5 is also to honour the invitation extended to the prime minister by Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
This is Muhyiddin’s first meeting with the sultan under the Annual Leaders’ Consultation framework.
During the visit, prime minister will hold a meeting with Sultan Hassanal, followed by an official luncheon hosted by the palace.
According to Wisma Putra, the Annual Leaders’ Consultation is the highest platform for discussion on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of common interest to both countries.
“Both leaders will take the opportunity of this important annual meeting to take stock of the progress of ongoing special relations and cooperation, and further enhance post-Covid-19 cooperation that will benefit the peoples of both countries,” it said.
This, among others, will include discussions on the establishment of the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) arrangement, initiating cooperation on vaccine diplomacy between both countries, and promotion of closer economic cooperation, said Wisma Putra, adding that a joint statement will be issued after the meeting.
During the consultation, both leaders will also be witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Natural Disaster Management as well as the formalisation of the Unitisation Agreement between Petronas and Brunei’s National Unitisation Secretariat in the oil and gas sector.
The last Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation was held in Putrajaya on March 5, 2019.
Given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia and Brunei, Wisma Putra said Muhyiddin has instructed for the duration of the official visit to be less than 24 hours.
To minimize the risk of infection, the prime minister will be accompanied by his wife, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, and a small delegation comprising Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and senior government officials.
The official visit will also be subject to strict Covid-19 preventative standard operating procedures as agreed upon by Malaysia’s Health Ministry and National Security Council as well as the Health Ministry of Brunei Darussalam. – Bernama, April 3, 2021
