BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, leader of Malaysia’s ruling coalition, Pakatan Harapan and president of the People’s Justice Party, was in Brunei for a brief visit on Tuesday to meet with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.
The Prime Minister’s Office released photos of the courtesy call held at Istana Nurul Iman but no further details of the meeting were given.
On his Twitter account, Anwar — who is slated to succeed current Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad — said during the meeting with Brunei’s sultan they discussed the latest developments in both countries and various efforts to enhance cooperation between the two neighbours.
“The effort and initiatives to raise the quality of education were also put at the forefront,” he said in a tweet on his official account.
His visit follows the annual Brunei-Malaysia Annual Leaders’ Consultation held between the sultan and Dr Mahathir in Putrajaya on March 5. Malaysia’s Deputy PM Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail also paid a visit to Brunei in late February to strengthen bilateral collaboration in economic, humanitarian and social issues.
A former deputy premier from 1993 to 1998, Anwar’s remarkable political resurrection was triggered by his alliance’s shock election victory last May, which toppled Barisan Nasional, the coalition that had ruled Malaysia for six decades.
Following the election win, Anwar was pardoned and released from jail, won a parliamentary seat in Port Dickson, and is now the presumptive successor to Malaysia’s leadership once Dr Mahathir steps down.