VIDEO: Malaysia-Singapore closer ties expected

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore called newly minted Prime Minister of Malaysia Muhyiddin Yassin in a phone call.

He congratulated the Malaysian PM on Sunday (March 1). See the video here:

The one-minute phone call shows a relaxed Muhyiddin talking to Lee.

The Singapore PM seems to be very close to Mr Muhyiddin and the latter too reciprocated to the call with smiles.

Muhyiddin was sworn in as Malaysia’s eighth prime minister on Sunday. His appointment ends a week of political turmoil created by the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as PM.

In a Facebook post, Mr Lee says he first met Muhyiddin in Kuala Lumpur in 1985.

Lee was then Minister of State for Trade and Industry while Mr Muhyiddin was Deputy Minister in the Malaysian Ministry of Trade and Industry.

“Since then, we have had many opportunities to work with Tan Sri Muhyiddin, both at the Federal level in his various Cabinet appointments and when he was Menteri Besar of Johor,” Mr Lee writes.

The prime minister is confident Singapore’s relationship with Malaysia will grow under Mr Muhyiddin’s leadership and benefit the people of both countries.

“I invited Tan Sri Muhyiddin to visit Singapore soon, and look forward to meeting him again,” Mr Lee writes.

Muhyiddin said ‘Terima Kasih’ to Lee at the end of the call. Mr Lee responded too with ‘Terima Kasih’ which means thank you in Malay.

At the start of the call, Mr Lee says Mr Muhyiddin is now Perdana Menteri, meaning Prime Minister in Malay.

Muhyiddin replied, ‘Alhamdulillah, things have calmed down.”

At the end of the call, a glorious Muhyiddin called Lee, Perdana Menteri.