KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia can be a BRICS “country partner” first pending a final decision on its participation in the intergovernmental organisation, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Tambun-PH) told the Dewan Rakyat.
Malaysia already has ties with existing BRICS members, Anwar said, and could use these relationships pending a final decision on its membership in the bloc.
“There is a possibility that our application (to join BRICS) might take some time, but since our relationship with BRICS’ member nations is very good, there’s a chance that we’ll be country partners in an immediate context,” Anwar said during the Prime Minister’s Question Time.
“Based on discussions with the Foreign Ministry, the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry and the cabinet, we believe that there is merit and a necessity for us to join the BRICS framework,” he said when answering Howard Lee (Ipoh Timur-PH).
Lee had asked if there would be any measures the government might consider implementing if a moratorium is imposed on nations seeking to join BRICS.
BRICS was established in 2009 as a cooperation platform for emerging economies comprising Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010.
In January this year, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates joined the organisation as new members.
Stressing that the government will not abandon its existing commitments to other regional economic groupings, Anwar said Malaysia’s potential BRICS membership will positively contribute to the nation’s economy.
Noting that the gross domestic product (GDP) of BRICS members themselves exceeds USD26.2 trillion or 26.2% of the global GDP, the prime minister said there should be no concerns over differing economic, social and political backgrounds among BRICS nations.
“Our relationship with any nation, including Western countries, does not see us agreeing on every matter as there are major differences on big issues such as (matters involving) Gaza, developing nations and trade competition in the World Trade Organisation,” Anwar said.
“However, this does not mean that we have to end ties, especially those prioritising trade. The same applies to BRICS. China and Russia might have differing national systems (from Malaysia), but in terms of trade cooperation, they are nations close to us.
“Nations such as the United Arab Emirates, India and South Africa have good relationships, trade ties and economic cooperation with Europe or the United States, which are not in BRICS, so there is no reason why we, or other Asean nations, should feel concerned over joining BRICS.”
Instead of interfering in other countries’ domestic politics, emphasis should instead be placed on economic trade and widening networks for the sake of the nation and citizens’ benefit, the prime minister added.
“We will need some time to study the possibility and implications (of joining BRICS).
“When we see that nations part of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) and Organisation for Economic-Cooperation and Development (OECD) are also in BRICS, there’s no reason why Malaysia should be excluded from such developments.”
Last month, Anwar confirmed he had expressed Malaysia’s wish to join BRICS to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, adding that Malaysia would go through the process to enable the country to join the group. – July 9, 2024