1. Speech by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin at the State Banquet Held in Honour of President and Mrs S. R. Nathan at the Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur, 11 April 2005.

Your Excellency,

S. R. Nathan,

President of the Republic of Singapore,

And Mrs S. R. Nathan,

The Honourable Dato' Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak,

The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Raja Permaisuri Agong joins us in warmly welcoming Your Excellency and Mrs Nathan to Malaysia. We are indeed pleased by your visit, which is the first State Visit to Malaysia by the President of the Republic of Singapore since the year 1991. This visit comes at a crucial time of renewed friendship and enhanced bilateral ties between our two countries.

2. We believe that Your Excellency will feel at home during this visit, as Your Excellency is no stranger to this country, having served as the High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to Malaysia from 1988 to 1990.

Your Excellency,

3. Malaysia and the Republic of Singapore share unique and special ties, not only as close neighbours but also through our permanent links of shared history, cultures and languages. Relations between our two countries can be illustrated by the Malay proverb, “Bagaikan aur dengan tebing”, which literally means “like the bamboo grove and the riverbank”.

4. The bamboo grove and the riverbank share a symbiotic relationship. The bamboo grove depends on the soil of the riverbank to grow.

While the riverbank is dependent on the roots of the bamboo grove to prevent it from gradual erosion, which can lead to its collapse.Neither would survive without the other and neither would gain if the other weakens or perishes.

Your Excellency,

Our two countries also enjoy substantive relations.

5. In the areas of trade and investment, Singapore is Malaysia's second biggest trade partner and the fourth largest foreign investor in Malaysia. While Malaysia, amongst the ASEAN countries, is the largest investor in Singapore.

6. We are also pleased to note that Singaporeans make up the highest share of tourist arrival to Malaysia annually. Singapore likewise, is a major tourist destination for Malaysians.