Singapore is officially on the verge to open a consulate office in Sarawak. It is confirmed that Kuching would house the office.
According to Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Vanu Gopala Menon, the goal is to have the office up and running by mid-this year.
Aside from Sarawak, the Singapore government is also looking at opening a similar office in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
What’s the Game Plan?
The Malaysian government gave the green light back in late November for the opening of such offices with the Singaporean team already hitting the ground running.
According to a report by UKAS, Vanu is personally visiting Sarawak and Sabah to scout for the perfect locations.
“We’ll be checking out various spots in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu to find a home for the consulate—at least to get things started temporarily,” he shared.
This update came right after a courtesy visit to Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, at the Satria Pertiwi Complex on Monday.
Why is Singapore opening a consulate in Sabah and Sarawak?
It’s no secret that trade between Sarawak and Singapore is booming. Having a physical presence on the ground makes sense—it makes it much easier to facilitate business deals and strengthen those economic ties.
Beyond just “business,” Vanu is confident that these new consulates will make travel smoother and build even stronger friendships between Singaporeans and Malaysians living in Borneo.
Who was at the meeting? The high-level talk included several key figures, such as Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Dato Fenny Nuli from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Singaporean diplomats Charlene Chan and Valerie Lim.
News & Photo source: UKAS
