Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen will be in Brunei from 5 to 7 November 2019 for a working visit.

During his visit, Dr Ng will visit Exercise Pelican, a bilateral exercise between the Republic of Singapore Navy and Royal Brunei Navy. Dr Ng will also have an audience with the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, and the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei Darussalam, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, as well as meet his Bruneian counterpart Brunei Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major-General (MG) (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Md Yussof.

Singapore and Brunei have enjoyed close defence cooperation since 1976. Dr Ng last visited Brunei in 2016 to commemorate 40 years of defence relations; Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob had also visited the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)’s training in Brunei in 2017 and 2018 respectively. This long-standing defence relationship has deepened as the interactions between the SAF and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces have grown in scope and complexity over the years. Both armed forces interact regularly through a wide range of activities, such as bilateral exercises, regular visits and professional exchanges.