Speech by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the State Banquet In Honour of Their Majesties The Yang Di-pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’Adzam Shah and The Raja Permaisuri AgongTuanku Hajah Haminah

Your Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, Tuanku Al-Haj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah

Your Majesty, the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Hajah Haminah

Your Royal Highness, the Tunku Laksamana Kedah, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tunku Abdul Hamid Thani

Honourable Ministers

Your Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

            My wife and I are delighted to welcome Your Majesties, Your Royal Highness and distinguished members of your delegation, to Singapore.

            Your Majesties, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the gracious welcome that Your Majesties extended to my wife and me during our State Visit to Malaysia last September. 

            Our visit impressed upon us Malaysia’s success in achieving rapid economic growth, while preserving its heritage.  The visit to the Baba and Nyonya Heritage Museum in Malacca was a poignant reminder of the shared culture between our countries.  We also have fond memories of meeting the children at the Permata Negara Nursery in Putrajaya.    It was indeed a meaningful and enjoyable visit.  We are very happy to have this opportunity to reciprocate your generous warmth and hospitality.

            Bilateral relations are on a strong footing.  This is underscored by our respective State Visits and, most recently, by the successful 5^th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat last month.  Our leaders have very frequent exchanges with each other and people-to-people ties are strong.  These interactions both draw on and add to our deep reserves of trust and goodwill.

            Cooperation between our countries has grown from strength to strength.  In recent years, we have managed to settle long-standing differences.  Now, we are making progress on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail link, and the Rapid Transit Link between Johor Bahru and Singapore.  These initiatives will pave the way for enhanced connectivity between both sides. 

            On the economic front, Malaysia and Singapore remain among each other’s top trading partners.  Cooperation in this area will continue to deepen, especially with our cooperation in Iskandar Malaysia.  Such collaboration will further integrate our economies and help us deal better with the challenges of global competition.  Together, we can realise our combined potential and achieve better lives for our peoples.

            Your Majesties,The ties between our countries extend far beyond material interests.  We share a storied past.  It is especially fitting that, as Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Your Majesty will be visiting Reflections at Bukit Chandu.  The centre commemorates the Battle of Pasir Panjang during World War Two.  Fourteen hundred brave soldiers from the Malay Regiment made a valiant last stand against an invading force nearly ten times their size.  Such sacrifices by our forebears are well worth our remembrance and reflection.  It is also crucial that we pass down our shared heritage to our future generations. 

            I am therefore heartened that Singapore’s Malay Heritage Centre is exploring new areas of collaboration with their Malaysian counterparts.  I hope that these efforts will continue and expand.  Greater cultural and historical understanding will bring us closer together.

            Your Majesties, against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, it is even more important that ASEAN works towards the realisation of an ASEAN Community by 2015.  Malaysia will take up the mantle of Chairmanship next year.  We look forward to continuing to work closely with Malaysia and other ASEAN Member States to chart the course for our region’s future. 

Your Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

            It is now my 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 Agong; and

        ·  To the enduring friendship between the governments and peoples of Malaysia and

            Singapore.

Thank you.