Prime Minister Joseph Muscat met Singapore leader Lee Hsien Loong for talks yesterday. Dr Muscat is overseas to attend a conference on citizenship.

Energy, health and the Commonwealth were among the topics discussed between Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his Singaporean counterpart yesterday.

When he met Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore, Dr Muscat explained Malta’s vision of transforming itself into an energy hub.

Europe was looking at several sources of energy to cut its dependence on other sources for its gas provision.

Mr Lee noted there were similarities between Malta and Singapore and sectors in which the two countries could collaborate.

He congratulated Malta on the 50th anniversary of its independence and pointed out that his country would celebrate such an occasion next year.

In Singapore, Dr Muscat attended a conference on ‘Citizenship by investment’, organised by Henley & Partners.

The Global Residence and Citizenship Conference was held between Tuesday and yesterday. He has attended five such conferences in various countries in the space of a year.

Last year, the Maltese government awarded Henley & Partners the concession to administer the controversial Individual Investor Programme, branded by many as the cash-for-citizenship scheme.

The scheme had been unveiled by the Prime Minister at a London conference in October last year.

Less than a month later, Dr Muscat attended another event in Miami.

Last May, he was among the speakers at the Henley & Partners Forum, held in Malta.

He then participated in a New York seminar on September 10.

To be eligible for a Maltese passport, the main applicant is required to contribute at least €650,000, make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum.