Malaysia and Singapore are great partners - PM

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Malaysia and Singapore have been great partners, and this relationship should not be disrupted by any issues that arise between the two nations, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

He said both countries have collaborated a great deal throughout history despite having minor frictions and can be greater partners in the future while benefiting from win-win situations.

"We (Malaysia and Singapore) have, of course, problems. Everybody has problems with their neighbours, but they are minor and not insurmountable.

"These should not deflect from the focus that both countries have to succeed. Both (are) great partners and can be greater partners when we collaborate and benefit in a win-win situation.

"That is why I am excited to work with Singapore and, of course, give priority to the ASEAN collaboration which we, Malaysia, will chair next year," he said in his keynote address at Invest Malaysia 2024 @ Iskandar Puteri here today.

The prime minister highlighted that ASEAN is a peaceful sub-region in the world, economically vibrant, and considered one of the most progressive at an unprecedented pace.

Anwar called for the introduction of new initiatives to attract investments and ensure the continued success of both nations.

He said Malaysia is pleased with Singapore's collaboration with Johor and also within the ASEAN framework.

"We have achieved relative success because of effective collaboration, enhancing bilateral relations and growing trust between leaders, general society, business community and the public at large," he added.

Meanwhile, on the macroeconomic front, Anwar noted that Malaysia has been fortunate to have started 2024 with a strong foothold.

"We outpaced expectations in gross domestic product (GDP) in the first two quarters (of this year), and the third quarter is looking promising.

"The ringgit is performing well, while the Bursa Malaysia is outperforming regional peers..way surpassing RM2 trillion in market capitalisation in May 2024," he said.

Organised by Bursa Malaysia, Invest Malaysia 2024 @ Iskandar Puteri was co-hosted with Maybank, CIMB Securities, and HSBC Malaysia.

Themed "Where Policy Meets Progress", the one-day conference featured Iskandar as the premier southern gateway of the country, showcasing major developments, with a special highlight on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and other attractive incentive offerings for investors.

-- BERNAMA

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