KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — Ahead of his State Visit to Malaysia, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the Malaysia-Singapore relationship remains one built on shared history, mutual trust and a common commitment to dialogue, cooperation and regional stability.

In an exclusive written interview with Bernama, President Tharman shared his perspectives on the future of bilateral cooperation, including the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, Asean’s role amid global challenges, and the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties, particularly among the younger generation.

Reflecting on his long association with Malaysia, President Tharman also spoke warmly about his memorable visits, his appreciation of Malaysian culture and cuisine, and the hospitality of the Malaysian people.

Read the full Bernama interview with President Tharman, published in conjunction with his three-day State Visit to Malaysia from July 13, 2026, for his insights on the future of Malaysia-Singapore relations, regional cooperation, and the shared aspirations of two close neighbours.

His State Visit to Malaysia is at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.

Mr President, Singapore and Malaysia share deep historical, cultural and people-to-people ties that span generations. With your State Visit marking another important milestone in bilateral relations, how do you envision this partnership evolving in the years ahead, and what message do you hope your visit will convey about the importance of the relationship?

The Singapore-Malaysia relationship is indeed unique, for both its breadth and depth. We share a common history. Our peoples are connected by ties of kinship and cultural traditions that evolved over centuries. And our economies are highly integrated, with benefits for people on both sides. The Johor-Singapore Causeway, in fact the world’s busiest land border crossing, exemplifies this.

We wear our shared heritage of customs, languages and cultures with pride. It has found recognition on the world stage, most recently in our successful joint Unesco inscription of the kebaya, together with Brunei, Indonesia, and Thailand. We are also working together with Malaysia to seek Unesco recognition for Chingay, the vibrant street procession that brings our communities together and shows a facet of our evolving multicultural landscape. These efforts are also ways in which we sustain our traditions, passing them on to future generations of Singaporeans and Malaysians.

Our partnership has been driven not just by a common heritage, but by mutual respect and understanding of each other’s interests. We will disagree occasionally on specific issues, as is natural between close neighbours. However, we must continue to work through such differences while ensuring that they do not hinder the broader partnership. It is precisely that approach, of addressing differences squarely rather than ignoring them, while always seeking to strengthen our overall relationship, that has built trust and goodwill over time.

My State Visit at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, continues a longstanding tradition. It demonstrates the importance both our countries place on maintaining ties and building understanding at all levels.

It has never been, and must never be, a purely transactional relationship. In an increasingly troubled world, the trust that we have accumulated and kept renewing over the past 60 years is critical. It is the bedrock upon which we deepen our cooperation and symbiotic development in various areas, from economic integration to renewable energy to talent development.

Singapore and Malaysia have enjoyed close cooperation across many sectors, from trade and investment to connectivity, education and environmental sustainability. As flagship initiatives such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link strengthen economic integration, where do you see the greatest opportunities for bilateral cooperation, and how will these projects benefit the people and businesses of both countries?

As you rightly point out, we enjoy substantive cooperation in almost every sector. Yet the fracturing of the multilateral trading system and the intensifying great-power competition mean that we must go even further to deepen integration within our region and among close neighbours.

We must increase our value proposition to the world by joining up our markets. We must develop greater energy and supply chain resilience by partnering with each other. And we should show how cooperation can spur growth, such as in new technologies and the digital economy, and in creating the green economy.

As countries in the tropics, Singapore and Malaysia share a common complex of challenges in tackling climate change. Our countries have announced sustainability and energy transition targets. We would both benefit from collaboration in the renewable energy and carbon credit markets.

Asean also recently concluded the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), which is slated to be signed at the 49th Asean Summit in Manila in November 2026. Asean’s digital economy was projected to reach US$1 trillion (RM4.2 trillion) in 2030 on its current trajectory. 

Studies estimate that a high-quality DEFA could double this to US$2 trillion (RM8.4 trillion).

Beyond agreements, we are also making joint investments in the future, for the benefit of both our peoples. The JS-SEZ can become a model for how countries can pursue win-win cooperation by combining their respective strengths. Likewise, the RTS Link will ease the daily commute for the hundreds of thousands of Malaysians and Singaporeans who cross the land checkpoints every day.

Mr President, amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and conflicts in various parts of the world, Singapore and Malaysia have consistently demonstrated that sensitive bilateral issues can be managed through dialogue, mutual respect and adherence to international law. In your view, what lessons can this approach offer the wider region, and how can both countries further strengthen people-to-people ties, particularly among younger generations, to ensure this close partnership continues to thrive?

It is no secret that Singapore and Malaysia have, over the years, had to sort out a number of sensitive and complex bilateral issues. This is to be expected between close neighbours with a shared past. Yet, successive governments on both sides have consistently chosen not to be bogged down by these issues. Instead, we have sought to resolve them calmly, based on mutual respect and adherence to international law. The high levels of trust and familiarity between our leaders and officials, as well as our peoples, provide us with the space to manage disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding.

This approach is especially relevant amid growing global turbulence. It reminds us that regional stability depends not on the absence of disputes, but on the discipline to manage them responsibly. For Asean and the wider region, Singapore and Malaysia’s example reinforces the importance of dialogue, restraint, respect for sovereignty, and abiding by a rules-based order. 

This is also how we ensure our bilateral relationship inspires continued confidence.

It is critical that we engage regularly among leaders, politicians, officials, businesses, and people on both sides. However, what came naturally to earlier generations must now be encouraged and facilitated proactively. We should encourage greater take-up of bilateral exchange programmes, joint internships, youth leadership forums, and collaborative community projects. The continued deepening and widening of friendships across the border is essential to a resilient relationship between our two countries in the long-term.

Asean continues to play a central role in promoting regional peace, stability and economic growth. How do you see Singapore and Malaysia working together to strengthen Asean’s relevance amid today’s global challenges?

As two of Asean’s founding members, Singapore and Malaysia have a shared interest in strengthening Asean’s centrality, unity, and relevance. Under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership, Malaysia delivered a successful Asean Chairmanship in 2025, ably steering Asean through a complex geopolitical and geoeconomic environment. Significant milestones were achieved, such as welcoming Timor-Leste as Asean’s 11th member, advancing the upgrade of the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement, and substantially concluding the Asean DEFA. Malaysia’s Chairmanship underscored Asean’s continued relevance and convening power, reflected in the strong slate of meetings it hosted and the high-level participation of global leaders.

Singapore and Malaysia can build on this momentum by working closely to maintain an open and rules-based international order, deepen Asean integration, and expand Asean’s partnerships. We have a shared interest in ensuring Asean’s value as a coherent, reliable, and trustworthy partner. By working together, Singapore and Malaysia can help Asean preserve its central role in promoting regional peace, stability, and growth in the lead-up to Singapore’s Chairmanship year in 2027.

Many Malaysians are curious to know: do you have any favourite Malaysian foods, places, or memorable experiences from your visits to Malaysia that you would like to share with our readers?

From the time of my youth, and later with my wife and children, I have enjoyed travelling in Malaysia and appreciating how its cultures evolved together with the region over centuries. Of course, Malaysian food has always been appealing, with different states having their own slant on dishes that are also favourites in Singapore, like laksa. But what leaves the deepest impression is the natural warmth and friendliness of Malaysians themselves.

Besides relatives, I had good Malaysian friends when I was a student, and have been fortunate to have known Malaysians from very different walks of life. There was always an easy affinity. 

But I will never forget the days I spent with villagers in Kedah’s rice-growing heartland almost 50 years ago. They showed how generous and kind the human spirit could be. The transformation in ordinary rural lives since then is another mark of Malaysia’s remarkable progress, well beyond its major cities, its ports and its manufacturing hubs.

Finally, what message would you like to convey to the people of Malaysia, as you prepare to undertake your State Visit?

I feel that the saying “jiran sepakat membawa berkat” (neighbours in agreement bring blessings) is apt. Malaysia and Singapore have found in each other a reliable friend and partner. Our cooperation over 60 years has brought mutual benefit and development to both our countries. 

We should keep that basic belief in our minds: we are each better for working together, respecting, and having affection for each other.

Let our hearts shake hands. — Bernama