Kuala Lumpur: The Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, has arrived in Malaysia to attend the 46th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to take place from May 26 to 27. The special aircraft carrying His Majesty and his delegation landed at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base at 4.30 pm. The Sultan’s arrival was received by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah inspected a guard of honour mounted by two officers and 26 personnel of the First Battalion of the Royal Ranger Regiment (Ceremonial), led by Captain Muhammad Syafiq Najmi Mazlan. His Majesty’s presence at the upcoming 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) underscores Brunei’s commitment to regional cooperation.

During the 44th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, in October 2024, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah highlighted the importance of addressing climate change and strengthening regional solidarity. Malaysia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN this year, themed ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, reflects its commitment to fostering a united, resilient, and forward-looking ASEAN community.

This marks Malaysia’s fifth time assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship, following previous terms in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. The 46th ASEAN Summit will also feature the second ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit.