SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is in Singapore to attend its Bicentennial National Day Parade, today.
Dr Mahathir and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, arrived in a special aircraft at the Changi Airport at 5.05pm and were received at the VIP complex by Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.
The Malaysian Prime Minister is also accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Ministry.
Dr Mahathir was invited by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to attend the Bicentennial National Day Parade, which begins this evening at the Padang, here.
The ceremony will also be attended by the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who concluded a two-day visit to Malaysia hours ago.
In a statement issued Thursday, Wisma Putra said the visit of Dr Mahathir to Singapore symbolises the close relations between the two countries.
Malaysia and Singapore have enjoyed 54 years of diplomatic ties and maintained good relations as closest neighbours, as well as partners in Asean, it said.
The Bicentennial National Day Parade 2019 is a historic event to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Sir Stamford Raffles’ arrival in Singapore. Sir Stamford was the founder of modern Singapore.
Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah are expected to return to Malaysia at 8.30pm.-Bernama