President Tharman Shanmugaratnam concludes state visit to Malaysia with focus on bilateral cooperation and regional stability
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam concluded a four-day State Visit to Malaysia from 12 to 15 July 2026, reaffirming the longstanding partnership between Singapore and Malaysia. Through engagements with Malaysian leaders, state officials, business representatives, and the Overseas Singaporean community, the visit underscored both countries’ shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation, promoting regional stability, and expanding collaboration across multiple sectors.
Source: Facebook/Anwar Ibrahim
The State Visit included official engagements in Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam, where President Tharman met Malaysia’s federal and state leadership. The programme featured audiences with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, as well as meetings with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari, members of the Selangor state government, business leaders, and the Singaporean community in Malaysia. The visit formed part of ongoing efforts to maintain close bilateral relations and strengthen people-to-people ties between the two neighbouring countries.
During his audience with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, President Tharman welcomed the positive trajectory of Singapore-Malaysia relations and noted the progress achieved in key areas of cooperation, including supply chain resilience, cross-border connectivity, and major joint initiatives such as the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. Both leaders also encouraged deeper collaboration in renewable energy, sustainable development, and initiatives that would strengthen exchanges between younger generations in both countries.
In his meeting with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, President Tharman reaffirmed the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation in strategic areas including food security and energy. The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments, particularly the evolving situation in the Middle East, and reiterated the importance of upholding international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as safeguarding freedom of navigation.
President Tharman also met members of the Overseas Singaporean community during a reception hosted at the High Commission of Singapore in Kuala Lumpur. He acknowledged the community’s role in fostering enduring people-to-people connections and strengthening the close relationship between Singapore and Malaysia.
During his visit to Selangor, President Tharman held discussions with His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Selangor state leaders on opportunities for future collaboration. Areas identified for deeper cooperation included technical and vocational education, climate adaptation, flood mitigation, and the development of start-up ecosystems. President Tharman welcomed greater exchanges between Singapore and Selangor to support shared economic and social development.
As part of the visit, President Tharman addressed members of the Kuala Lumpur Business Club, where he discussed the evolving global landscape and the challenges of a post-unipolar world. He emphasised the importance of maintaining constructive relations with major powers while strengthening partnerships with other regions. President Tharman also highlighted the need to reform multilateral institutions, deepen ASEAN integration, and reinforce bilateral cooperation to support regional resilience and sustainable growth. Underscoring Singapore and Malaysia’s shared vision for regional cooperation, he said, “We are really raising our level of ambition on ASEAN, and Malaysia and Singapore think alike in that regard. It is in the national interests of each ASEAN member state that we join forces on green energy, in processing power, and in the digital economy.”
On the final day of the visit, President Tharman participated in a breakfast roundtable with business leaders before departing Malaysia. The State Visit concluded with both countries reaffirming their commitment to sustaining close bilateral relations and exploring new opportunities for cooperation that would benefit their peoples and contribute to regional stability and prosperity.
Source: MFA Singapore
