SINGAPORE – Four Southeast Asian countries – Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand – have become partner countries of BRICS, a group of emerging economies that is seen as a counterweight to the West. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday (Oct 24), the @BRICSInfo account said 13 nations have been added to the alliance as partner countries. The other nine nations are Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Turkey, Uganda and Uzbekistan.

They are not full members of the group, which was established in 2006 and initially comprised Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined in 2010, while Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became BRICS members this year. The member economies represent over US$28.5 trillion or about 28 per cent of the global economy. The annual BRICS summit is being held in Kazan, Russia from Oct 22 to 24. Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia can now enjoy better trade opportunities as the bloc has a combined population of 3.2 billion.

Malaysia is also committed to pursuing the agenda of the Global South in boosting collaboration, especially during Malaysia’s term as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year, he said in a written parliamentary reply on Thursday (Oct 24). “Malaysia’s desire to join BRICS represents its effort to uphold policies and identity as an independent and neutral country, striking a balance with great powers and opening up new business and investment opportunities,” he said, as quoted by media outlet Malay Mail.  Malaysia’s Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli is scheduled to deliver the country’s national statement at the summit on Thursday (Oct 24).

Another motivation could be to “further please China and thereby hopefully derive even better trade and investment terms with China, as China is clearly the driving force for BRICS”, said Dr Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs think tank. For Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia, which support the Palestinian cause, “it is also a knee-jerk, one-upping attempt against the West which (is) solidly behind Israel”, Dr Oh added. (channelnewsasia)

Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and other participants pose for a family photo prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. Malaysia sent its economy minister Rafizi Ramli (back row, second from right) while Indonesia sent its foreign minister Sugiono (back row, second from left). (Alexander Nemenov, Pool (AP)…[+]