Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin — Bernama file photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will undertake an official visit to Bandar Seri Begawan beginning today in conjunction with the 23rd Malaysia-Brunei Darussalam Annual Leaders’ Consultation.
Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement yesterday said the short visit from April 4-5 is also to honour the invitation extended to the prime minister by the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
This is Muhyiddin’s first meeting with His Majesty 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 His Majesty.
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 the on-going special relations, cooperation and further enhance the post Covid-19 cooperation that will benefit the peoples of both countries,” it said.
This, among others, would include discussions on the establishment of the Reciprocal Green Lane Arrangement (RGL), 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 (MoU) on Natural Disaster Management as well as the formalisation of the Unitisation Agreement between PETRONAS and Brunei’s National Unitisation Secretariat (BNUS) 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 Darussalam, Wisma Putra said, Muhyiddin has instructed for the duration of the official visit to be less than 24 hours.
To minimize the risks of Covid-19, the prime minister will be accompanied by his wife, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman and a small delegation comprising the Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and senior government officials.
The official visit will also be subjected to strict Covid-19 preventative SOP as agreed upon by the Malaysia’s Health Ministry and National Security Council as well as the Health Ministry of Brunei Darussalam. — Bernama