Putrajaya: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei today witnessed the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on health cooperation between Malaysia and Brunei. The event took place at the Seri Perdana Complex, marking a significant moment during the Sultan's three-day State Visit to Malaysia, which commenced on Monday following an invitation from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the exchange of documents was conducted by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and his Brunei counterpart Datuk Seri Dr Mohammad Isham Jaafar. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, accompanied by a high-level delegation including Prince Abdul Mateen Bolkiah, Cabinet Ministers, and senior government officials, arrived in Malaysia on a special flight at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Subang. The delegation was welcomed by Tunku Temenggong Johor, Tunku Idris Iskandar Sultan Ibrahim.

The previous day, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah received a state welcome at Istana Negara, followed by a meeting with the King and a State Banquet. The visit is set to be followed by the 26th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders' Consultation (ALC), described by a statement from Wisma Putra as the highest bilateral mechanism between the two nations. It serves as a platform for the leaders to review cooperation, discuss current issues, and exchange views on matters of mutual interest.

The visit and the high-level meeting emphasize the special relationship between Malaysia and Brunei, highlighting a commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation for the prosperity and well-being of both countries. In 2024, Brunei ranked as Malaysia's sixth-largest trading partner in ASEAN, with total trade reaching RM7.53 billion (USD1.77 billion). Between January and June this year, Malaysia-Brunei trade amounted to USD690 million (RM3.02 billion), including exports of USD500 million (RM2.18 billion) and imports of USD190 million (RM840 million).