JOHOR BARU: Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Permaisuri of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah will make a three-day official visit to Singapore beginning tomorrow at the invitation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Lee had extended the invitation through the republic's Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan last December when he had an audience with Sultan Ibrahim in Johor Baru.
In May this year, Lee renewed the call to make the visit when he received Johor's highest state award — The Most Honourable Order of the Crown of Johor (First Class) "Datuk Sri Paduka Mahkota Johor" (SPMJ), which carries the title "Datuk" — from Sultan Ibrahim.
The ruler also conferred The Most Exalted Order of Sultan Ibrahim Johor (First Class) "Datuk Sri Mulia Sultan Ibrahim Johor" (SMIJ), which carries the title "Datin Paduka", on Lee's wife, Ho Ching.
In a statement posted on Sultan Ibrahim's Facebook page, the Royal Press Office said the official visit was significant as it marked the reaffirmation of the longstanding and warm relations between Singapore and Johor.
Accompanying the royal couple will be Tunku Mahkota of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and his wife, Che' Puan Besar Khaleeda Bustamam.
The royal delegation will be accorded a warm welcome by Lee and Ho, as well as other cabinet ministers, upon arrival at the Istana, the official office of the president and prime minister of Singapore.
Later, Their Majesties will make a courtesy call on President Halimah Yacob.
The highlight of the visit will be the conferment of an honorary "Doctor of Laws" degree on Sultan Ibrahim by Halimah, who is the chancellor of the National University of Singapore (NUS).
The award is in recognition of the ruler's steadfast and fervent efforts to strengthen Johor-Singapore cross-border relations.
His Majesty's late father, Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, was also similarly honoured by the NUS in 2007.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens will also present a special orchid species named after the royal couple — Ibrahim Zarith — in honour of the visit.
The orchid is Singapore's national flower and this species, Dendrobium tangerinum, is a robust and free-flowering hybrid.
The official itinerary for the visit includes a tour of the Rapid Transit System Link construction site in Woodlands, where Sultan Ibrahim will be briefed on the progress of the project.
The ruler will also visit the Sembawang Air Base, home of the helicopter squadrons of the Republic of Singapore Air Force, followed by an exploration of historical maps and documents at the Yusof Ishak Institute at the NUS, which was named after Singapore's first president, Yusof Ishak.
Meanwhile, Raja Zarith Sofiah is scheduled for several programmes, including visits to the Delta Senior School run by the Association for Persons with Special Needs in Choa Chu Kang and the Asian Civilisations Museum, which showcases the artistic heritage of Asia.