Singapore’s PM visit strengthens bilateral ties as Malaysia’s 2025 tourist arrivals jump 11.2%, far exceeding global and regional growth averages
PUTRAJAYA: Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s special one-day visit to Malaysia on Friday (Feb 20) strengthened bilateral relations between the two countries, especially at the highest leadership level, said MADANI Government spokesman Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
The Communications Minister added that the Cabinet was informed of the outcome of the visit, which he described as positive.
“Various matters were discussed, including matters such as water and other issues that are being looked into in the series of discussions between the leadership of both countries,” he told the post-Cabinet Meeting media conference here today.
The Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said the discussions centred on bilateral cooperation issues of common interest, including the outcome of the leaders’ retreat on Dec 4, 2025.
Singapore is Malaysia’s neighbour and key partner in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), with close and extensive relations across various fields.
Singapore is Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner, with total trade reaching RM402.35 billion (US$93.97 billion) in 2025, an increase of 1.5 per cent from 2024.
In another development, Fahmi said the Cabinet also received a report from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) regarding the country’s tourism performance for 2025.
“Malaysia recorded a total number of 42.19 million visitors in 2025, an 11.2 per cent increase compared to 37.97 million visitors in 2024,” he said.
He said the growth rate far exceeded the global average of four per cent and the Asia Pacific region’s increase of six per cent.
“This achievement reflects Malaysia’s position as one of the main destinations that continue to be trusted by international visitors,” he said.
The Sun Malaysia