BRICS is becoming the voice of the Global South, challenging the dominance of the Western world order. This perspective is highlighted in an article by the Malaysian newspaper, New Straits Times.
The publication notes that developing countries have "long remained unheard," with their positions ignored on the global stage, particularly within the United Nations. BRICS, however, could force Western countries to pay attention.
Moreover, the bloc is attractive due to the New Development Bank (NDB), which does not impose the "onerous conditions" for loans that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank do. The newspaper concludes that the Malaysian government's decision to join BRICS is a "wise choice" for the country.
On June 13, Malaysia's Prime Minister announced in an interview with the Chinese portal Guancha that Malaysia would soon begin the official process of joining BRICS. Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Mohamad Hasan, also confirmed the country's readiness to join the group, noting that this would enable Malaysia to address various global issues more effectively and defend its national interests.
The BRICS group was founded in 2006, and South Africa joined the original members (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) in 2011. Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia became full members on January 1, 2024. As of June 6, Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov reported that around 30 countries have expressed interest in joining the group.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: brics-russia2020.ru/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS