The foreign ministry (Wisma Putra), in a statement today, said both ministers were scheduled to meet and exchange views on broad-ranging bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest.

During the visit, Balakrishnan is also scheduled to have an audience with the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.

The visiting minister will also meet with defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein, chairman of the National Recovery Council Muhyiddin Yassin, and Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

“The visit by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will provide an excellent opportunity for Malaysia and Singapore to further strengthen the longstanding relations and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries,” the statement read.

In 2021, Singapore was Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner and the largest within Asean with total trade amounting to RM267.11 billion – an increase of 25.2% compared to the recorded value in 2020.