Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah makes special visit to Malaysia

This is the first meeting between Anwar and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah upon the prime minister's assumption of office on Nov 24, said the Malaysian Foreign Ministry in a statement.

The last visit by His Majesty to Kuala Lumpur was from March 4 to 6, 2019, to attend the 22nd Annual Leaders' Consultation (ALC) between Malaysia and Brunei.

Malaysia and Brunei have a special relationship which is based on a common heritage, culture and close people-to-people relations.

Building on this special relationship, both leaders will take the opportunity of this visit to take stock of the progress of existing cooperation and explore new potentials for a more comprehensive partnership that can mutually benefit the two countries, the statement read.

In 2021, Brunei was Malaysia's 30th largest trading partner and the 6th largest within ASEAN, with total trade amounting to RM8.03 billion (US$1.94 billion).

Anwar will also host a luncheon for His Majesty Prince 'Abdul Mateen and the Bruneian delegation in conjunction with the special visit, the statement added.