Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching (centre) welcome Johor's Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, and Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibrahim and his wife Che’ Puan Besar Khaleeda at the Istana on Oct 10. - SULTAN IBRAHIM SULTAN ISKANDAR/FACEBOOK
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the relationship between Singapore and Johor has grown under Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s “wise leadership”, after he hosted the Johor ruler and other royals for dinner at the Istana on Tuesday (Oct 10).
“We have launched ambitious projects to improve trade and connectivity, including the RTS Link (Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System), and look forward to commencing discussions on a Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone,” Lee wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
The RTS Link is a 4km-long cross-border rail shuttle service built to alleviate congestion on the Causeway. When it starts operating, likely by end-2026, people will be able to commute from Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru to Woodlands North in Singapore, and vice versa, in about five minutes.
Singapore and Malaysia in July had also agreed to set up a task force to work out the terms of reference and broad areas of collaboration for a possible Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. The project will likely be discussed at the Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat in October.
“Johor is Singapore’s gateway to Malaysia,” Lee said.
“More than neighbours, Singapore and Johor are partners linked by generations of friendship and kinship.”
Sultan Iskandar also noted in his Facebook post on Tuesday evening Johor and Singapore, which are bound by geography and a shared history, could work together to “produce win-win outcomes with tangible benefits for their people and businesses”.
Also present at Tuesday’s dinner at the Istana were Lee’s wife, Ho Ching, Johor Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibrahim and his wife, Che’ Puan Besar Khaleeda, as well as Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and his wife, Seetha Shanmugam.
Lee also said that Sultan Ibrahim served him a very “sedap” (delicious) nasi ulam that he had requested for during his last visit to Johor. Nasi ulam is a traditional Malay herb rice salad.
“I reciprocated his gracious hospitality by serving him crab curry along with some of his other favourite local dishes,” Lee wrote, adding that they also met at the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix in September.
