KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Singapore President Halimah Yacob said she could not agree more with a call for greater exchanges between the Girl Guides movements of her country and Malaysia because such exchanges play an important role in strengthening the people-to-people ties of the two countries.
She said the call was made by the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah during her visit to Girl Guides Singapore last October.
“As technologies further shrink our world, a transnational network of friends and mentors will be a great resource.
“In this regard, I could not agree more with Her Majesty when she called for greater exchanges. Such exchanges can play an important role in strengthening the longstanding people-to-people ties which undergird both country’s excellent bilateral relations,” she said.
Halimah said this in her speech during her visit to Wisma Pandu Puteri Malaysia at Bangsar here, today.
Halimah who is on a three-day state visit to Malaysia also said, that she is heartened to see the growing links between the Girl Guides movements of the two countries.
“Just last year, the Girl Guides International Camp held in Singapore welcomed girls of different ages and nationalities, including our friends from Malaysia.
“In addition to developing empathy and leadership, such platforms also help our young women develop cross-cultural understandings and a global perspective,” she said.
As Patron of Girl Guides Singapore, Halimah said the Girl Guides movement holds a special place in her heart as through a myriad of programmes and projects, it not only provides young women with a sense of camaraderie, but also inspires them to take an active interest in the wider community and strive to make a positive difference.
The president also said that she was impressed to learn about the creative activities that the Girl Guides Association of Malaysia regularly organises for its members of all ages.
She also encouraged Guiders to be open to new experiences and seize every opportunity to broaden their horizons.
Meanwhile, in her speech, Tunku Azizah recalled how she had done quite well in contributing to Malaysia Girl Guides Association by serving four prime minister’s wives when she was a deputy president of the association.
Four of them are Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s wife (Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali), the late Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s wife (Tun Endon Mahmood) and the current (Tun Abdullah’s wife) Tun Jeanne Abdullah and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s wife (Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor).
“During that time I used to go to countries all over the world to chair meetings while the prime minister’s wife was busy accompanying their husband with work.
“But now as a queen of the nation and the royal patron, I also get four wives of the prime minister as president which is Tun Siti Hasmah, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s wife), Datin Seri Muhaini Zainal Abidin (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob wife) and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (the current prime minister wife Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim),” she said.
