SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has invited his newly appointed Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to visit the republic soon.

"I invited PM Anwar to visit Singapore soon. I look forward to working with him and the new government to further strengthen our bilateral relationship," said Lee in his latest Facebook update today.

Lee said he had spoken to Anwar today to congratulate him on being sworn in as Malaysia's 10th Prime Minister.

"I have known Dato' Seri Anwar for several decades. We last met in Singapore in 2018, when he delivered a lecture at the Singapore Summit on the importance of bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia," he wrote.

He also appended his posting with a photo of him and Anwar in 2018.

"Indeed, Singapore and Malaysia are close partners. Our countries share a longstanding friendship, underpinned by strong historical, cultural, and interpersonal ties.

"There is more that we can do to enhance our bilateral relationship for mutual benefit," Lee wrote further.

Lee had also written a congratulatory letter to Anwar after the Pakatan Harapan chairman was sworn in as the new prime minister at Istana Negara on Thursday (Nov 24).

-- BERNAMA