Singapore Minister in the Prime Minister’s Officer, Second Minister for Education and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman was impressed and moved by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s love and care for the people of the Sultanate as demonstrated by greeting and meeting all his subjects during the Hari Raya open house at Istana Nurul Iman.
The minister’s admiration for His Majesty was highlighted during an interview on the sidelines of a Hari Raya open house hosted by the Singapore High Commission in Brunei Darussalam at The Empire Brunei’s Indera Samudra Grand Hall.
Recalling his four-day visit to the Sultanate for the Hari Raya celebration, Dr Mohamad Maliki said, “I have been visiting Brunei for many years now. This is my 13th or 14th Hari Raya in Brunei Darussalam. I see the beauty of the country each time I visit. It has always been very enriching and yet humbling to be in Brunei, seeing the way Hari Raya is celebrated. The spirit of community and family is so alive in Brunei Darussalam. I was also so impressed to see His Majesty, who is always ready to meet all his subjects. During COVID-19, there were restrictions and limitations, therefore His Majesty wasn’t able to do so.”
He continued, “This year, when I came back to Brunei and saw His Majesty doing the same, I was so impressed and moved by the love that His Majesty has for the people of Brunei Darussalam. I also felt that Bruneians are so fortunate to have a monarch who cares so much for them. This is something that is really meaningful for me to be able to come back to Brunei for Hari Raya this year.”
Asked about his favourite food at the Hari Raya open house, he said it was kelupis. “There are many types of kelupis that I’ve had this year. Whatever the type of kelupis, the pulut is so soft here. It’s really the food that I cannot forget when I come to Brunei.”
The minister also explained opportunities to further expand the diplomatic relationship between Brunei and Singapore.
He highlighted, “We can look at new opportunities in the area of economic cooperation, whereby Singapore currently imports commodities from Brunei, and there is still room to further strengthen economic cooperation.” Secondly, he said, “We can look at cooperation in the area of tourism, whereby visitors to Singapore can also be brought to Brunei Darussalam to enjoy what Brunei has to offer, like eco-tourism, which is one of the most interesting attractions in Brunei.
“Thirdly, for the future, we can bring young Bruneians and Singaporeans together to continue to build on the close relationship. Because by investing in our relationship when they are young, when they become adults, they will better understand the importance of the relationship and continue to build on good relations in the future.”
Meanwhile, Singapore Minister of State for Transport and Law Murali Pillai, who is part of the visiting delegation, also shared his unforgettable experience at Istana Nurul Iman’s open house.
This is his first visit to Brunei Darussalam with the delegation led by Dr Mohamad Maliki. He expressed, “I feel privileged to be able to attend the Istana Nurul Iman’s Hari Raya open house and we had an audience with His Majesty. We saw so many people queuing to meet His Majesty and the royal family. His Majesty was patiently greeting each person. It was a very heartwarming occasion and it was a good start for the entire visit to Brunei during Hari Raya.”
During the visit, he said, “I saw first-hand that the visit underscored the warmth of the relationship between Brunei and Singapore at many levels. Personally, I was introduced to several types of kueh mor, kek batik and tapak kuda in Brunei. I will definitely bring back home many cherished memories.” – James Kon
