Muhyiddin postpones visit to Singapore

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s visit to Singapore, which was initially scheduled for today, has been postponed to later this year, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday.

“This is due to the prime minister’s current focus of addressing the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia,” said Hishammuddin, who arrived here on Saturday for a two-day visit to the republic.

The prime minister was supposed to meet his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, to discuss and agree on a gradual resumption of cross-border travel, and to ease the movements of citizens between the two countries, he said.

However, Hishammuddin said, the current Covid-19 situation would not provide the right environment for both prime ministers to discuss and agree on matters that “we know the people of both Malaysia and Singapore have long waited for”.

“These negotiations, which are ongoing, require intense work across multiple agencies and ministries.

“But due to the fluidity of the situation, with changing variables, it is very challenging for both sides to come up with a concrete and safe solution on crossborder movements for both our people.

“Public health must always be our priority, which framed our meeting today (yesterday).”

On his visit, Hishammuddin said despite facing the challenges of the pandemic, “we have had a successful exchange of visits which is testament to our strong relationship, and the resilient and enduring ties between Malaysia and Singapore.”

Hishammuddin was also scheduled to call on Singapore’s prime minister as well as Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean during the visit.

“As important and close neighbours, with deep historical and people-to-people ties, both our countries will continue to work closely in various areas of cooperation, especially in the post-pandemic era.”