Speech by President S R Nathan at the State Banquet held in honour of Their Majesties The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin and The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Fauziah

Your Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin,
Your Majesty, the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Fauziah,
Your Royal Highness, the Regent of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin,
Your Royal Highness, the Crown Princess of Perlis Tuanku Shareen,
Your Highness, the Tengku Putri Makhota Perlis Dato' Seri Sharifah,
Honourable Ministers,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,

It gives my wife and me and the Government and people of Singapore great pleasure to welcome Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Your Highness and the distinguished members of Your Majesties' delegation to Singapore.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the warm welcome extended by Your Majesties to my wife and me during our State Visit to Malaysia last April. I recall with much fondness the warmth and kindness which we experienced during our visit. We returned with many happy and enduring memories. It is therefore a special privilege for us to be able to reciprocate Your Majesties' gracious welcome and friendship during your State Visit to Singapore.  We hope Your Majesties will have a memorable stay here.

Your Majesties' State Visit symbolises and reaffirms the warm and close ties between our two countries. The long-standing ties of history, geography, economics and kinship have endured the test of time and continue to bind us together.  In recent years, our relations have broadened and deepened, marked by greater contact and cooperation between our leaders, officials and businesses. Our close interdependence continues to commit us to a common future in the region.

Your Majesties,

A new world is emerging right before us. Globalisation and new challenges confront us. The growth of China and India unfolds new opportunities, as well as fresh challenges, to both our countries. We must take a more enlightened view and focus on this larger context, so that we can work together to respond to it.

As two neighbours who live and work as closely together as we do, differences of perspective and interests from time to time are natural. However, our relationship is stronger today, because we have kept such differences in perspective, and have not allowed unresolved issues to define our relations or prevent us from co-operating to exploit the opportunities that came our way.

Your Majesties' visit symbolises the close linkages between our two countries at all levels. Exchanges between our two peoples continue to grow. We remain each other's key drivers of tourism. In the field of Security we have  worked closely ever since we became two separate sovereign nations. The past year has seen many high-level visits by our leaders. There have been frequent contacts at the working level. Our officials in the Civil Service and Armed Forces meet often, not just to discuss work matters, but also to participate in bilateral games. These exchanges go a long way in strengthening personal friendships amongst our people. Such relationships will greatly enhance our ability to work together, especially in tackling problems such as terrorism, security in the Straits of Malacca and avian flu.

Our economies are increasingly interdependent. We benefit from each other's prosperity. Malaysia is Singapore’s biggest trading partner, and is also a favoured destination for Singapore investors, who make up the second largest group of investors in Malaysia. Malaysian companies also have significant economic interests in Singapore. Last year, Malaysian government-linked and private companies such as Khazanah, CIMB, TM International, Scomi Bhd, and OSK Holdings invested more than S$1 billion in Singaporean companies. Our businesses are also looking at joint venture opportunities in third countries. Through such business collaboration and partnerships, we can grow and prosper together.

Your Majesties,

One important area where our interests coincide is the progress and prosperity of South East Asia. We have always had vested interests in greater cooperation in this region. To achieve this, Malaysia and Singapore must play active roles to strengthen ASEAN and accelerate its integration. This is vital to  ensuring ASEAN’s competitiveness as a group. As two of the more developed economies in ASEAN, Singapore and Malaysia should work together to position ASEAN for the future. Malaysia did an outstanding job hosting the ASEAN Summit and the inaugural East Asia Summit (EAS) last December. The EAS has strengthened the links between ASEAN and key countries in the region, and will be an important component of the regional architecture. It has also demonstrated the continued centrality and effectiveness of ASEAN as the driving force in regional affairs.

A key milestone in mapping ASEAN’s future is the drafting of the ASEAN Charter. Having always shared a common vision for an integrated and united ASEAN, it is imperative that Malaysia and Singapore take an active part in this process and harmonise our efforts, as we did at the founding of ASEAN.  Through this, we can help push ASEAN towards realising the establishment of an ASEAN Community.

I am confident that with the impetus from Your Majesties’ State Visit to Singapore, our two countries can forge an even stronger partnership to realise our common goals and vision for the prosperity and benefit of our peoples.

Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is now my great pleasure to invite you to join me in a toast:
 

• to the good health and happiness of Their Majesties, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri; and

• to the close friendship between the governments and peoples of Malaysia and Singapore.