SINGAPORE: Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali says it is in the best interests of Singapore and Malaysia to maintain strong ties between the countries.
“We are each other’s closest neighbours, connected by deep historical ties and family bonds. Let’s work things out for the well-being and future of our people,” he said in a Facebook post last night.
Azmin is in Singapore for a bilateral visit despite the postponement of the 14th Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia (JMCIM) meeting, which was originally scheduled for today.
He will still meet Singapore’s National Development Minister Lawrence Wong and Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan as planned, to discuss other bilateral issues today.
“I am confident of the positive approach taken by our two countries to overcome any bilateral issues. Looking forward to my meetings with Singaporean ministers tomorrow (Monday),” he said on Facebook.
Azmin was supposed to have led the Malaysian delegation to the JMCIM meeting. However, the meeting was postponed with the mutual consent of both countries.
He told reporters in Cameron Highlands on Saturday that the meeting was postponed as certain issues for discussion were closely related to matters already raised in a bilateral meeting between Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah and Balakrishnan last Tuesday.
Azmin, who met Balakrishnan over dinner the following day, described the meeting as “productive”.
Balakrishnan meanwhile said it had been “a good meeting of minds”.
“We had an open and candid discussion of the issues currently confronting us,” he wrote on Facebook late yesterday.
“We reaffirmed that there are far more opportunities for Malaysia and Singapore to work together, especially at this time of global economic transformation.”
Balakrishnan is expected to answer 14 oral questions related to bilateral issues with Malaysia at the Parliament sitting later today. -FMT
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