SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will visit Malaysia from Friday (Jul 19) to Monday for Malaysian king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s installation ceremony at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Thursday.
This will be Mr Lee’s first official overseas visit since he stepped down as Prime Minister on May 15, making way for Mr Lawrence Wong to become Singapore’s fourth leader.
In its statement, the PMO said that Mr Lee is among a “select group” of foreign leaders invited by Sultan Ibrahim to attend the installation ceremony.
Malaysia’s local media had reported that Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and the King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa are among those expected to attend.
Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim was sworn in on Jan 31 as the 17th king of Malaysia, which has a unique rotating monarch system with nine rulers taking turns to reign in five-year cycles.
Sultan Ibrahim and Mr Lee previously met on May 6 during the king’s official visit to Singapore, where he attended a state banquet and was briefed on how the Thomson-East Coast line connects with the Rapid Transit System Link.
Sultan Ibrahim also attended a sitting Parliament session in Singapore, where Speaker Seah Kian Peng welcomed him as an ardent supporter of bringing the people of Malaysia and Singapore together.
In Kuala Lumpur, Mr Lee will attend a royal banquet and meet Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He will also engage Malaysian rulers, ministers and leaders, and speak at a Kuala Lumpur Business Club dinner event.
In addition, Mr Lee will attend a reception for overseas Singaporeans hosted by the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.
Mr Lee will be accompanied by his wife Mrs Lee, Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad, and Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Low Yen Ling.
