SINGAPORE – Singapore and Malaysia are set to collaborate more in areas like health and the fight against illicit drugs as their leaders meet for their annual retreat.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will visit Singapore on Dec 4

for the 12th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat at the invitation of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Dec 3.

The retreat is a key platform for the two leaders to take stock of growing bilateral cooperation, explore new avenues of collaboration and provide guidance on how to take the relationship forward, it added.

PM Wong will host Mr Anwar to lunch, following which their delegations will meet. The retreat will be held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore hotel.

They will then witness the exchange of agreements which will “broaden bilateral cooperation and increase the exchanges between both sides”, MFA said.

Both men are also the finance ministers of their governments.

Datuk Seri Anwar will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Fadillah Yusof, Premier of Sarawak Abang Johari Openg, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamad Hasan, Minister of Transport Anthony Loke, Minister of Home Affairs Saifuddin Nasution, Acting Minister of Economy and Second Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Azizan and Chief Minister of Johor Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

The Singapore delegation will include Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam, and Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.

They will be joined by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, Manpower Minister Dr Tan See Leng, National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat, A...