Lee Hsien Loong to attend Malaysian King’s installation ceremony at latter’s invitation

SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong is among a select group of foreign leaders invited by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar to attend his installation ceremony as the 17th King of Malaysia.

Lee will thus be visiting Malaysia from July 19 to 22 for the installation ceremony at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur, which is set to take place on the morning of July 20.

Lee will also attend a royal banquet in the evening, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement on Thursday (July 18).

This is the first time a Singapore representative has been invited to an inauguration of Malaysia’s King, which happens every five years.

The Straits Times understands that Sultan Ibrahim had personally extended the invitation to Lee when he was on a two-day state visit to Singapore from May 6 to 7. The occasion marked one of the last major visits by a foreign dignitary before Lee stepped down as Singapore’s third prime minister on May 15.

During that trip, Sultan Ibrahim, who hails from Johor and was sworn in as Malaysia’s King on Jan 31, had remarked at a state banquet held in his honour at the Istana that he regards then PM Lee as “a close friend” of Johor and Malaysia.

Apart from attending the installation ceremony, the PMO said Lee will also meet Malaysian Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as well as engage with several Malaysian Rulers, ministers and leaders.

Lee is also set to speak at a Kuala Lumpur Business Club dinner event, and will attend a reception for overseas Singaporeans hosted by the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.

He will be accompanied by his wife Ho Ching, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad and Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, as well as Trade and Industry, Low Yen Ling.

Before this trip, Lee’s successor, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, had made an introductory visit to Malaysia on June 12. Then, he was hosted to lunch by Datuk Seri Anwar at his official residence, the Seri Perdana, and both prime ministers underscored their shared commitment to take their mutually beneficial partnership forward. – The Straits Times/ANN