KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Malaysia’s status as a Brics partner country does not alter the nation’s stance of remaining non-aligned with any power regarding geopolitical issues, including the disputes in the South China Sea.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said Malaysia’s participation in Brics is focused primarily on exploring new economic opportunities, while geopolitical matters such as the South China Sea disputes will continue to be addressed through existing bilateral approaches and mechanisms.
“Regarding decisions or differing perspectives among Brics member nations, we will manage these issues as best as we can for instance, the long-standing issues in the South China Sea.
“We have our own established methods and mechanisms, specifically the bilateral approaches that we have already been employing,” he said during the question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) concerning the government’s measures to ensure that Malaysia’s participation in Brics does not undermine Asean centrality, particularly in addressing regional geopolitical issues such as the disputes in the South China Sea.
Lukanisman said Malaysia also harnessed the Brics platform to articulate the nation’s stance on international issues including the situation in Palestine as previously highlighted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan during a Brics conference in New Delhi.
Elaborating further, he noted that Malaysia continues to derive benefits from its engagement with Brics, even while a moratorium remains in place regarding full membership in the economic bloc.
He explained that Malaysia’s status as a Brics partner country provides the Prime Minister with opportunities to hold meetings and forge strategic relationships with leaders from the bloc’s member states.
Furthermore, Malaysia is well-positioned to serve as a bridge to Asean by offering a stable and progressive economic framework, thereby bolstering the confidence of external partners.
Meanwhile, Lukanisman emphasised that Malaysia’s involvement in Brics does not imply an exclusive focus on a single economic cooperation platform and instead the country continues to leverage existing mechanisms, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec).
He added that this strategy of diversifying economic cooperation platforms aligns with the ‘Ekonomi Madani’ framework, while also enabling Malaysia to more effectively navigate conflicting interests among major powers, geopolitical tensions, and trade restrictions.
“Malaysia’s participation in Brics should not be measured merely by who else is involved; instead, the focus should be on the significant benefits we can gain from our engagement with both Brics and Apec,” he said. — Bernama
Date: 29 October, 2026 2:20 pm
Source: Malay Mail
💬 Join the Conversation! 💬
We’ve disabled comments on our posts and pages to keep the discussions organized and lively! But don’t worry – the conversation isn’t over. Head over to our forum and share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback with the community! It’s the perfect place to connect, learn, and engage with others who care about the same things. We can’t wait to hear from you!