PUTRAJAYA: The Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will have their maiden meeting under the Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation framework here tomorrow.
The Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation, the highest platform for discussion of a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of common concern, would be the 22nd in the series.
The 21st consultation was held in Bandar Seri Begawan on Nov 23, 2017.
The Foreign Ministry, Wisma Putra, said in a statement today that the special relationship between the two countries is based on a common heritage and culture.
“Building on this special relationship, both leaders will take the opportunity of this important visit and annual meeting to appraise the progress of the ongoing cooperation and explore new potentials for a more comprehensive partnership that can mutually benefit the peoples of the two countries,“ it said.
Mahathir and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, are scheduled to host a luncheon in honour of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Mahathir and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah had exchanged visits in May and September last year, following the former’s appointment as Malaysia’s seventh prime minister.
Malaysia is a major investor in Brunei Darussalam from the Asean region, with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) amounting to US$486.74 million (RM2 billion) in 2017 or nearly 90.9 per cent of the total FDI of US$535.27 (RM2.2 billion) from fellow Asean member states into Brunei Darussalam.
Trade between Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam totalled US$981.2 million (RM4 billion) in 2018. — Bernama
