KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — Malaysia and Singapore’s bilateral relations reached a significant milestone this year as the two neighbouring nations, with centuries of shared history, marked 60 years of diplomatic ties.
The long-standing, multifaceted relationship between Malaysia and Singapore continued to deepen, bolstered by regular high-level exchanges, particularly between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong, who are also the Finance Ministers of their respective countries.
The Annual Leaders’ Retreat, the highest-level platform for reviewing bilateral relations, discussing regional and global issues of mutual interest, and exploring new avenues to deepen the partnership, was held twice this year.
Usually a once-a-year affair, the retreat was held in January and December after the 11th edition, initially scheduled for December 2024, was postponed due to Wong’s Covid-19 infection.
The recently concluded 12th Leaders’ Retreat, hosted in Singapore, saw leaders from both sides reiterate their commitment to continue talks and engagement to amicably and constructively resolve long-standing issues concerning maritime boundaries, airspace, and waters.
At the meeting, Malaysia and Singapore also signed an additional agreement for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link to facilitate preparations for the co-located immigration facilities ahead of the targeted service commencement date in December 2026.
Both sides also exchanged memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to strengthen cooperation in healthcare and the fight against drugs, marking another critical step in enhancing collaboration between the two nations.
Malaysia has also given Singapore the green light to open consulates in Sabah and Sarawak, further enhancing business and people-to-people engagement.
After the successful five-country joint inscription of the Kebaya onto Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2024, Malaysia and Singapore submitted a joint nomination this year to inscribe Chingay onto the same list, highlighting shared heritage and historic people-to-people links.
On the economic front, Malaysia and Singapore made good progress on key projects, including the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), with Singapore-based companies having committed over SG$5.5 billion (RM17.97 billion) to the zone as of October.
In addition, bilateral trade totalled US$78.70 billion (RM321.1 billion) as of October, accounting for 13.5 per cent of Malaysia’s total trade.
Both countries remained each other’s second-largest trading partners in 2024.
There was also positive momentum in energy-sector cooperation.
In October, Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) granted conditional approval to Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd to import one gigawatt (GW) of low-carbon electricity from Sarawak, marking a new phase of energy partnership between the two nations.
Tenaga Nasional Bhd, SP Group, and Singapore Energy Interconnections have also inked a Joint Development Agreement to conduct a full feasibility study for a second power interconnection between Malaysia and Singapore.
When completed, it will expand cross-border electricity trade capacity and strengthen energy resilience by providing mutual support during periods of system instability.
The two founding members of Asean remain committed to advancing regional cooperation across key areas, including supporting the realisation of the Asean Power Grid, advancing the green economy, and strengthening efforts toward regional integration, especially in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
Throughout Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship in 2025, Singapore has consistently expressed its support for Malaysia’s initiatives and leadership.
With stronger cooperation at the government and official levels, along with robust people-to-people links, Malaysia and Singapore can expect positive developments across all areas next year, even as a more challenging global outlook looms amid intensified geopolitical tensions and rising trade protectionism.
