Singapore and Brunei Armies Conclude Exercise Maju Bersama 2017

COA MG Melvyn Ong and Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF) BG Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan Bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud exchanging plaques during the closing ceremony of Exercise Maju Bersama.

Chief of Army Major-General (MG) Melvyn Ong and Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF) Brigadier General (BG) Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan Bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud co-officiated at the closing ceremony of Exercise Maju Bersama 2017 earlier today in Peta Tutong, Brunei. 

The 22nd edition of the exercise, which began on 18 November 2017, involved about 320 soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (3 SIR) and the 3rd Battalion, RBLF. The exercise consisted of professional exchanges, combined field exercises and culminated in a combined battalion live-firing exercise.

At the closing ceremony, MG Ong shared on the importance of Exercise Maju Bersama. He said, "I believe that Exercise Maju Bersama provides an excellent platform for our soldiers and commanders to build interpersonal relationships and develop mutual trust. It is this mutual understanding among our people that provides the stable foundation to further strengthen cooperation between our armies." Echoing this, BG Pengiran Dato Aminan said that the exercise is the cornerstone of the interactions between the Singapore Army and the RBLF, providing a strong foundation for their bilateral ties.

Exercise Maju Bersama underscores the close and long-standing defence relations between both countries, providing an excellent opportunity to strengthen army-to-army professional interactions. Apart from Exercise Maju Bersama, the Singapore Army and the RBLF also interact regularly through other bilateral and multilateral exercises, visits and professional exchanges, which have fostered mutual understanding and enhanced interoperability between the two armies.

Singapore Army and RBLF soldiers having professional exchanges during Exercise Maju Bersama.