PUTRAJAYA: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah will host his Singaporean counterpart Dr Vivian Balakrishnan in conjunction with his three-day working visit to Malaysia starting Tuesday (May 17).

       Wisma Putra in a statement on Monday (May 16), said both ministers are scheduled to meet and exchange views on broad-ranging bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest.

       During the visit, Dr Balakrishnan is also scheduled to have an audience with the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.

       He will also meet with Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, National Recovery Council Chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

       "The visit by Dr Balakrishnan will provide an excellent opportunity for Malaysia and Singapore to further strengthen the longstanding relations and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries," the statement read.

       In 2021, Singapore was Malaysia's second largest trading partner and the largest within Asean with total trade amounting to RM267.11bil (US$64.43bil) – an increase of 25.2% compared to the recorded value in 2020. – Bernama