KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was accorded a state welcome at Istana Negara today in conjunction with his four-day state visit to Malaysia, which began yesterday.
The ruler, who arrived at the palace at 10am accompanied by Prince ‘Abdul Mateen Bolkiah, was received by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia and Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris Iskandar Sultan Ibrahim.
Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, and several cabinet members.
The state welcome, held at the palace’s main lobby, began with the national anthems of Brunei and Malaysia performed by the Central Band of the Royal Malay Regiment, followed by a 21-gun salute.
After the ceremony, the King granted the Brunei sultan an audience during which both monarchs discussed various matters, including longstanding bilateral ties.
Sultan Ibrahim then hosted a state banquet for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and the Brunei delegation.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah undertook the visit at the invitation of Sultan Ibrahim.
The state visit is the third by a foreign head of state to Malaysia since Sultan Ibrahim ascended the throne as 17th King, following visits by the presidents of China and Indonesia.
Tomorrow, the Brunei ruler will attend the 26th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation (ALC) and a meeting with Anwar in conjunction with the ALC.
The ALC is the highest bilateral mechanism between Malaysia and Brunei, serving as a platform for both leaders to review the progress of existing cooperation, discuss current issues and exchange views on regional and international matters of mutual interest.
The visit and annual meeting underscore the longstanding special relationship between Malaysia and Brunei, reaffirming both countries’ commitment to boost strategic cooperation for mutual prosperity and their peoples’ well-being.
Last year, Brunei was Malaysia’s sixth-largest trading partner in Asean, with total trade amounting to RM7.53 billion.
Between January and June this year, Malaysia-Brunei trade reached RM3.02 billion, comprising exports of RM2.18 billion and imports of RM840 million.
