Ian Storey

Asian Angle | Why did Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim give Russia a free pass over Ukraine?

Malaysia’s leader risks being accused of double standards over his reluctance to call out the Russian aggression he previously condemned

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Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim before a meeting on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, on September 4. Photo: EPA-EFE

Ian Storey

Published: 3:00pm, 21 Sep 2024

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent visit to Russia, his first ever, might serve Malaysia’s interests. But as Russia continues to fight against Ukraine two years after its illegal invasion in 2022, the Malaysian leader has left himself open to criticism of double standards.

At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Anwar attended the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). The summit of business leaders, held every year since 2015 in Vladivostok, is designed to promote the economic development of the Russian Far East.

During his two-day visit, Anwar held a bilateral meeting with Putin and delivered a speech at the EEF’s plenary session.

He became the sixth Southeast Asian leader to meet Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, after his Asean counterparts from Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, as well as Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto.

In Vladivostok, the Malaysian prime minister had nothing but praise for Putin and Russia. He applauded Putin for his “vision and leadership”, called Russia a “key partner” and proposed the two countries forge a “special relationship”.

Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim and Russia’s Vladimir Putin attend a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 5. Photo: Roscongress Foundation via Reuters

In his meeting with Putin, he admitted that his decision to visit Russia had not been an easy one but stressed that it had been the right one. He spoke of his desire to enhance collaboration with Russia in all fields, including Islamic banking, agriculture, energy transition, and science and technology. He called on Russian companies to invest in Malaysia and welcomed plans to establish direct air links between the two countries.