Singapore to open consulates in Sabah and Sarawak as it signs drug-control and health MOUs with Malaysia

Singapore will establish new consulates in Sabah and Sarawak after Malaysia granted approval on 4 December 2025.

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during a joint press conference in Singapore.

According to statements by both leaders, the decision marks a significant step in enhancing consular support for Singaporeans residing or travelling in East Malaysia.

It also reflects the broader goal of deepening bilateral ties.

The idea of opening the consulates was first discussed in January 2025 during the previous leaders’ retreat in Putrajaya.

At that time, both countries issued a joint statement noting Singapore’s intention, but approval had not yet been finalised.

Singapore currently maintains a High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and a consulate in Johor Bahru, which opened in 2009.

The new missions in Sabah and Sarawak will expand Singapore’s diplomatic footprint in Malaysia.

During the retreat at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, the two governments also exchanged two memorandums of understanding.

These agreements covered cooperation on drug control and collaboration in public health.

According to the joint statements, the MOU on combating illicit drug trafficking was exchanged between Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam and Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution.

The drug-control MOU aims to strengthen cooperation in addressing cross-border networks involved in drug production and trafficking.
It includes the sharing of information on emerging drug trends and trafficking techniques.

Training, education and capacity-building initiatives are also part of the agreement.

Both sides will undertake coordinated activities and exercises among relevant agencies to prevent and control drug trafficking.

The MOU further allows for additional joint activities that may be agreed upon by the home affairs ministries of the two countries.

Officials noted that the arrangement supports long-term collaboration in law enforcement and public safety.

A separate MOU on health cooperation was exchanged between Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.

This agreement aims to deepen collaboration across a broad range of health-related areas.

The health MOU was signed by Singapore’s Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung and Malaysian Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.

It identifies cooperation in digital health, healthcare services delivery and health financing.

Other areas of collaboration include communicable and non-communicable disease prevention, public health promotion and nutrition.

The agreement also covers long-term care, healthy ageing and human resource development.

Both countries plan to exchange information, knowledge and best practices across these fields.

Officials and experts will undertake exchange visits, joint training and capacity-building activities.

Singapore and Malaysia will also collaborate on research and policy development.

Workshops, seminars and conferences will be jointly organised to support ongoing cooperation.

The retreat underscored the commitment of both governments to strengthening bilateral partnership across multiple sectors.

According to the leaders, the agreements build on longstanding cooperation and pave the way for expanded engagement.