(Left) Participants of Singapore’s 59th National Day celebration gathering for a group photo.
The Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur hosted a reception in celebration of Singapore’s 59th National Day.
The event was attended by 1,200 guests including diplomats, government representatives and Singaporeans living in Malaysia.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming was guest of honour.
The event, themed “Rediscovering Singapore” highlighted the intersection of history and modernity in Singapore.
Murals adorning the walls and the sets were painted by Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong depicting traditional scenes in Tiong Bahru and Kampong Glam.
On stage, the digital backdrop illustrated iconic buildings and landmarks in present-day Singapore.
Attendees were treated to a medley of tunes from Brian Low, a pianist from Sunway University Conservatoire of Music, and a special memento – a magnet commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Johor-Singapore Causeway.
Nga (left) with Menon.
The items were made by Tapai, a Terengganu non-governmental organisation that employs people with disabilities.
The High Commission also worked Singapore’s Rainbow Centre to curate door gifts and tokens of appreciation.
Singapore High Commissioner Vanu Gopala Menon, in his speech, emphasised the importance of Malaysia-Singapore relations, citing cooperation in sectors of digital economy, artificial intelligence, sustainability and climate change as well as the establishment of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
He said Singapore’s low-cost airline Scoot recently announced new services from Changi to Subang in Selangor, in September and Changi to Melaka in October.
He also announced that the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link was set to be completed by end-2026.
“In a way, this is the Singapore story, a story made possible by being dynamic, constantly reinventing ourselves and remaining relevant to the world.
“Similarly, we also need to ensure our bilateral relationship remains future-ready; what Singapore and Malaysia can achieve together is limited only by our imagination and political will,” he added.
