Agong grants audience to Singapore PM during state visit to republic

SINGAPORE: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah granted an audience to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and four members of his Cabinet in conjunction with His Majesty's state visit to the republic on Wednesday.

Also present at the audience held at Shangri-La Hotel were Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and Lee's wife Ho Ching.

The Singapore ministers present at the audience were Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Chan Chun Sing (Education), Desmond Lee (National Development) and S. Iswaran (Transport).

Their Majesties were accompanied to the ceremony by Malaysian Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin and Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Isham Ishak.

After the 30-minute audience, Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah proceeded to a luncheon hosted by Lee and his wife.

Their Majesties arrived here yesterday for the state visit, which will end on Friday.

The visit reflects the close bilateral ties between Malaysia and Singapore which were established 57 years ago.

Their Majesties will attend a state welcoming ceremony at the Istana this afternoon, before meeting Singapore President Halimah Yacob and attending a state banquet.

-- BERNAMA