Teh tarik and guitars for S'pore DPM in visit to M'sia

Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday for a four-day working visit, started the ball rolling with a casual teh tarik and guitar session with Malaysian Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

The teh tarik diplomacy began when Wong posted on Facebook on early Sunday (Sept 4) about his upcoming inaugural visit to Malaysia.

“It is always nice to have a cup of teh tarik while working. In fact, I will be heading to Malaysia very soon and look forward to meeting my counterparts and having a cup of teh tarik there too. Jumpa soon,” said Wong, pointing to his liking for Malaysia’s popular tea beverage.

His posting was “welcomed” by Zafrul who replied by posting a video on his Facebook page as well.

“Hi Wong, I’m waiting for you with Malaysian teh tarik. Sekali cuba mesti mahu lagi (Once you have tried it, you definitely want more).”

When both met in Malaysia over dinner Sunday night, they broke the ice not only with a teh tarik session but also by strumming the guitar together.

“This is what happens when the Singapore and Malaysia finance ministers hang out together. We get to play some music, with guitars made on both sides of the causeway (I’m playing a Malaysian-made one and he’s playing one from Singapore)!”

Wong appended his posting with a photo of him and Zafrul with their guitars.

“Many thanks, Zafrul for the warm hospitality by you and your wife - the dinner was excellent and so was the teh tarik!

“Look forward to more discussions over the next two days and opportunities to strengthen the links between both our countries!” Wong updated his Facebook page Sunday night.

Wong, who is earmarked as the apparent successor to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, is in Malaysia for a four-day working visit until this Wednesday (Sept 7).

This is his first official visit to Malaysia after being appointed as deputy prime minister in June 2022.

Wong was given a royal salute at the Arrival Hall of the KLIA before inspecting a guard of honour mounted by 32 officers and personnel from the First Battalion of the Royal Ranger Regiment.

During his visit, Wong is also scheduled to have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at Istana Negara.

He is also scheduled to call on Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as well as meet Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, and Bank Negara Malaysia governor Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus.

Singapore is Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner and the largest within Asean, with a total trade value amounting to RM267.11 billion in 2021, an increase of 25.2 percent compared to the recorded value in 2020.

- Bernama

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