BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- The state visit by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, to Brunei for three days starting tomorrow will further strengthen the close and special ties between the two nations, says Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Brunei, Datuk Mohd Aini Atan.
He said this was evident when Sultan Ibrahim travelled to Brunei on June 25 to personally present an invitation letter to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah for his Installation Ceremony as the 17th King of Malaysia.
"Due to the strong relationship between the two countries, the Sultan of Brunei attended the King’s installation, even though Brunei was celebrating the 78th birthday of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on July 15," he told Bernama in conjunction with Sultan Ibrahim's state visit.
His Majesty’s first state visit to Brunei since being crowned the 17th King of Malaysia in July this year is also in response to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s invitation.
The visit is expected to further strengthen cooperation in economic, social, and political fields, while stimulating bilateral investments, education, and tourism between the two countries.
In economic terms, Mohd Aini noted that Brunei was Malaysia's 30th largest trading partner and the sixth largest within ASEAN, with a total trade value of RM9.31 billion in 2023.
“For the period of January to July this year, the total trade between the two countries reached RM5.48 billion, demonstrating that trade relations between both nations remain resilient and strong,” he said.
Regarding tourism, Mohd Aini said that Malaysia was one of the top destinations for Bruneians, with tourist arrivals in the first six months of this year reaching 565,999, surpassing Brunei's population of around 450,000.
"Last year, the number of Bruneian tourists to Malaysia was 811,833, so we are optimistic that visits will reach one million this year, especially in 2026 during Visit Malaysia Year," he said.
“Many Bruneians travel to Malaysia for tourism and shopping, reflecting successful promotional efforts by Tourism Malaysia here,” he said, adding that besides Sabah and Sarawak, which shared a border with Brunei, the number of Bruneian travellers arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) was also significant.
Meanwhile, Mohd Aini said that both countries could explore deeper cooperation in education, as there were currently only five Malaysian students pursuing postgraduate studies at the Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) in Brunei, while many Bruneian students further their studies in Malaysia, particularly at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
"In addition to education, investment cooperation between the two countries can also be expanded in the future," he said.
Mohd Aini also noted that more than 25,000 Malaysians resided in Brunei, with many serving as experts in fields such as medicine, academia, and the petroleum industry.
The state visit by Sultan Ibrahim and Her Majesty the Queen, Raja Zarith Sofiah, from tomorrow until Oct 15 is deemed significant, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Brunei.
The visit is expected to further strengthen the close and special relationship between Malaysia and Brunei, founded on Malay Royal institutions, religion, culture, and familial ties.
Sultan Ibrahim and Raja Zarith Sofiah are scheduled to arrive in Brunei tomorrow morning and will attend a high tea with the Malaysian diaspora in Brunei, with an estimated 300 people in attendance.
On Monday, the official programme will begin with the state welcoming ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman, followed by an audience with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha.
The King and Queen will be honoured at a State Banquet hosted by the Sultan of Brunei at Istana Nurul Iman in the evening.
The Queen is also scheduled to visit UNISSA to officiate the Malaysia Book Corner, which will showcase joint research publications between Malaysia and Brunei.
-- BERNAMA
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