Concluding his Singapore posting, H.E. Dato’ Indera Dr. Azfar Mohamad Mustafar reflects on bilateral milestones, diplomatic partnerships, and the future of Malaysia–Singapore relations.
H.E. Dato’ Indera Dr. Azfar Mohamad Mustafar, the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Singapore, reflected on his five-year posting during a farewell interview with Ms. Nomita Dhar, Editor-in-Chief of IN Diplomacy, on July 30, 2026. Prior to the interview, Ms. Nomita met several Singapore leaders who had received H.E. Dato’ Azfar on farewell calls, including Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, Minister for Manpower Dr. Tan See Leng, Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow, Minister of State for Defence Desmond Choo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo, and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Albert Chua.
Reflecting on his posting, H.E. Dato’ Azfar recalled arriving in Singapore in 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when borders were still closed. Despite the challenges, he said bilateral cooperation continued to strengthen over the years.
Describing his assignment as “a happy and fulfilling five years in Singapore,” he said one of the highlights of his tenure was witnessing the progress of major bilateral initiatives, including the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and the upcoming Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link.
He reaffirmed that Malaysia and Singapore shared a relationship that was “strong, deep-rooted, and comprehensive,” while stressing that such ties “need to continuously be nurtured.” He expressed hope that Malaysia had played a small part in further strengthening mutual trust and confidence between the two countries.
He also thanked Sun Media, describing it as “a valued partner of the High Commission,” and expressed confidence that the close collaboration would continue. He also noted that Sun Media and the High Commission would be working together on a commemorative publication, The Malaysian High Commission in Singapore: A Gateway to Closer Ties, documenting the mission’s role in advancing bilateral relations.
Concluding the interview, he thanked the Singapore Government, the diplomatic corps and partners for their support, adding, “I wish everybody success, and hope that our paths will cross again in the future.”
Source: IN Diplomacy Reporters.
