PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement of Malaysia’s interest in joining the BRICS bloc signifies an intention to shift towards multipolarity, alongside the hedging of domestic interests between a Western-led economic order and the rising global influence of China.
BRICS originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa; its first summit was held in 2009 and South Africa joined in 2010. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were admitted in January this year.
