Malaysia bids to join BRICS alliance

Anwar conveys interest to Brazilian president and ‘will go through the process’

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Malaysia will seek to join the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) intergovernmental organisation, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said he had conveyed Malaysia’s wishes to Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

“We (Malaysia) will go through the process to enable the country to join the organisation. For the past two months, the Foreign Ministry has conducted a study on our policy before deciding to join BRICS.

“I have spoken to the President of Brazil about our wish,” he said after attending a gathering for local residents in Mengkuang Semarah here yesterday.

Anwar was earlier quoted as saying that Malaysia would begin the formal procedures to join BRICS.

In an interview with Shanghai-based news site Guancha, Anwar said Malaysia was now awaiting the final decision and feedback from the South African government.

On the ground: Anwar getting friendly with the children who attended the qurban ceremony with the Prime Minister at Masjid Jamek Cerok Tokun Bawah in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. — Bernama

BRICS was originally founded as BRIC, with the four original members being Brazil, Russia, India and China. It held its first summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009.It was renamed BRICS when South Africa joined in 2010.

The group now comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Together, they make up about 30% of the world’s land surface and 45% of the global population.

The grouping, originally set up to highlight investment opportunities, has evolved into a geopolitical bloc where members meet annually at formal summits.

In July 2014, BRICS created a US$100bil (RM471bil) New Development Bank with a currency pool worth over another US$100bil.

Since 2012, it has been planning an optical fibre submarine communications cable system, known as the BRICS Cable.

During the summit in 2023, BRICS members committed to studying the feasibility of a new common currency.

To date, 15 summits have been held with Russia scheduled to hold the next one in Kazan, Russia, in October.