SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will meet Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Malaysia on Saturday (May 19), he said in Parliament on Wednesday.
“The expectations of the new Malaysian government are very high, and I think Dr Mahathir will be very busy in the days to come. But I plan to visit him on Saturday, and tell him I look forward to working with him again for mutual benefit," Mr Lee said during the debate on the President's Address.
AdvertisementHe added that he is on familiar terms with Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim, who was released just hours before.
"I also know Anwar Ibrahim well because he was my counterpart when I was deputy prime minister," Mr Lee said.
Touching on the external challenges facing Singapore in his speech to the House, Mr Lee said that Singapore has always had good relations with its "closest neighbour" Malaysia under the governments led by former PM Najib Razak as well as the administration headed by Dr Mahathir before that.
"We have also worked with Dr Mahathir and several of his team before. We completed joint projects with Malaysia when Dr Mahathir was last the prime minister, including building the Second Link at Tuas," he said.
AdvertisementAdvertisementDr Mahathir last week led Pakatan Harapan to an unexpected election victory over the Barisan Nasional, effecting a change of government for the first time in six decades in Malaysia.
Anwar, the de facto leader of the former opposition coalition, is expected to take over as prime minister of the country in time to come.
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