SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Monday (Apr 20) that he and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim agreed on the importance of upholding diplomacy in a call amid the war in the Middle East.
The two prime ministers also discussed how Singapore and Malaysia can fortify supply chain resilience.
“We agreed on the importance of sustained diplomacy to secure a durable resolution to the crisis,” said Mr Wong, who is also Singapore’s Finance Minister.
“We also discussed how Singapore and Malaysia can work more closely to strengthen supply chain resilience,” he added in a Facebook post.
Mr Wong said that he spoke with Mr Anwar on Monday afternoon to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East.
“At a time like this, it is all the more important for close neighbours like Singapore and Malaysia to stay coordinated and support one another,” said Mr Wong.
In a Facebook post, Mr Anwar wrote that the two leaders also welcomed the temporary ceasefire and stressed the need for a lasting resolution to the conflict.
“Malaysia supports ongoing diplomatic efforts, including Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue, and underscored the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” said Mr Anwar, who is also Malaysia’s finance minister.
Mr Anwar said that the country is also focused on strengthening grid resilience and managing supply-demand pressures and is intensifying regional cooperation through the ASEAN Power Grid, which is an ongoing regional initiative.
“We will continue to prioritise domestic needs and ensure Malaysia and the region remain resilient amid global uncertainty,” he added.