Malaysia has Brics ambitions, so why is Prime Minister Anwar refusing to visit Russia?

Malaysia has been navigating the geopolitical realities of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with a stated foreign policy of being ‘everyone’s friend’

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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has declined repeated invites to visit Russia. Photo: Reuters/Pool/File

Published: 5:12pm, 27 Jun 2024Updated: 6:38pm, 27 Jun 2024

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has declined repeated invites to visit Russia after warnings by his top diplomat, who says it could “create problems” as the Southeast Asian nation attempts to tread a tricky path of neutrality.

Speaking in parliament, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said his ministry has advised the prime minister to “not simply go” despite receiving many invitations from Moscow for an official visit.

Malaysia has been carefully navigating the complex geopolitical realities conjured by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Israel’s destruction of Gaza and the ongoing US-China trade war, with a stated foreign policy position of being “everyone’s friend”.

Kuala Lumpur just marked the country’s 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Beijing with a visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

While Malaysia has addressed human trafficking concerns raised by Washington, it has also voiced strong support for the Palestinian cause and condemned Israel, a key US ally.

Meanwhile, Anwar has expressed his country’s interest in joining the Brics bloc of economies – which includes Russia.