Tengku Zafrul: ASEAN Members Should View BRICs Positively as Partnership Could Expand Region’s Influence

MalayMail | 9 January 2025

Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz today urged more South-east Asian countries to consider joining Brics, saying the move could enhance Asean’s reach beyond the region.

Malaysia is currently a partner to the informal intergovernmental organisation of five major emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — which is growing after Indonesia became its latest member.

Speaking at a forum attended by Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) business leaders here, Zafrul highlighted that how other Asean countries evaluate Brics membership or partnership will likely shape the region’s economic growth and resilience.

“Could closer ties between Brics and Asean be mutually beneficial to both blocs? Some may argue that Brics lacks the cohesion necessary for long-term stability without a unifying force,” the minister said as a closing remark of the Asean Economic Leader conference here.

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