PETALING JAYA (ANN/THE STAR) – Malaysia is set to initiate formal procedures to join BRICS, the intergovernmental organisation comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, according to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“We have made the appropriate decision and will launch the formal process shortly,” Anwar announced in an interview with Shanghai-based news site Guancha. “We are now awaiting the final decision and feedback from the government of South Africa.”
BRICS, originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded its membership last year by welcoming Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates during its August summit. The membership of these new countries took effect on January 1.
Anwar emphasised Malaysia’s commitment to the Global South and highlighted the strategic importance of its potential BRICS membership, particularly given the Straits of Malacca’s crucial role as a shipping lane connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
He also expressed his relief that the world is no longer unipolar, viewing BRICS as a beacon of hope for a balanced global order.
“We can no longer accept the scenario where the West wants to control the discourse because they are no longer colonial powers. Independent countries should be free to express themselves,” he stated.
