KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Brunei have agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various strategic areas during the 26th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation held on Wednesday (August 27).
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the areas of cooperation include trade, investment, energy, maritime affairs, education, agriculture, and food security.
“Malaysia also welcomes Royal Brunei Airlines’ move to increase flights to Sabah, as well as the opening of the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office (STATO) in Bandar Seri Begawan, which is expected to boost bilateral relations.
“May the special relationship between Malaysia and Brunei continue to be strengthened, grounded in friendship, strategic cooperation, and shared aspirations for regional stability and prosperity,” he said in a Facebook post.
The Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, departed for home today after his three-day state visit to Malaysia, which began on Monday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah held discussions as part of the 26th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation at Seri Perdana, Putrajaya.
In 2024, Brunei was Malaysia’s sixth largest trading partner in ASEAN, with total trade valued at 7.53 billion ringgit (1.77 billion US dollars).
For the period January to June 2025, Malaysia-Brunei trade reached 690 million US dollars (3.02 billion ringgit), comprising exports of 500 million US dollars (2.18 billion ringgit) and imports of 190 million US dollars (840 million ringgit). – Bernama