Malaysia Has No Interest in Siding With West Against Russia, Malaysian Prime Minister Says

© Sputnik . Kristina Kormilitsyna / Go to the mediabankMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 05.09.2024
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VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Sputnik) - It is not in Malaysia's interests to side with the West and be against Russia; the country maintains good relations with all parties, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in an interview with RIA Novosti and RT.
Commenting on why Malaysia is not choosing sides, Anwar Ibrahim said his country does not want to complicate the issue further.

"I mean, so our intention, our position is of course to find a ... resolution, not to take a side of the West against Russia. What benefit is this for us? Like the United States vis-a-vis China, we maintain good relations with both. Why compel us to take sides? Well, they create these potential problems because it is a different system," Anwar Ibrahim said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

BRICS is important for strengthening cooperation among the countries of the Global South and containing the onslaught of rich industrial states, Ibrahim added.

"Well, we are very appreciative of the fact that [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin officially invited me to attend the BRICS meeting in Kazan next month. Our policy is of course to strengthen the global south. BRICS is a very important vehicle to strengthen that sort of collaboration among countries in the global south. Not necessarily in antagonism, but at least to contain the onslaught of other richer industrialized countries and to be able to at least withstand the pressure and together build up the force," he told the outlets.

BRICS is an important tool for reducing the dependence of countries on the US dollar.
"The issue of using local currencies, which we have done in the past with China, with Indonesia, to an extent with Thailand, we are talking to India. We are still quite dependent on the dollar, but at least to reduce the impact, we need to do that. And BRICS is of course another vehicle to do that," Anwar Ibrahim stressed.
Moreover, Malaysia hopes for the influx of Russian companies into the country and an increase in the tourist flow between the two countries.

"With Russia, I think the potential is there. We hope, now that we have talked to a lot of major companies in Russia, to come to Malaysia and increase, particularly tourism, that would be of benefit. And we are also making it easier for Malaysian tourists to visit Russia," Ibrahim said.

All in all, Russia is coping with sanctions better than many Western observers thought, the Malaysian prime minister said.

"The Russian experience is a bit different, because you are stronger, larger, and you have this strong resolve and a great history. Somehow or other, they are managing things better than many Western observers thought. That is true. We look at the economic figures, look at the agriculture production, the new technology, look at the banking system," Ibrahim elaborated.

The Eastern Economic Forum began on Tuesday and will run through Friday. It is being hosted by the Far Eastern Federal University in Russia's Pacific coast city of Vladivostok. Sputnik is the general information partner of the EEF 2024.
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