By Iman Muttaqin Yusof

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok on Wednesday as he underscored his government’s non-aligned foreign policy and became the latest leader to visit the country amid the West’s attempts to isolate Moscow. 

Both leaders said they would enhance bilateral collaboration in various fields that Kuala Lumpur had identified as including aerospace, advanced technologies, and food security. They met on the eve of the Eastern Economic Forum’s plenary session.  

For regional analysts, Anwar’s two-day trip to Russia, his first as PM, marks a pro-Eastern shift in Malaysia’s foreign policy, which they said may have an impact on the Southeast Asian nation’s global diplomatic relationships, along with its move to join the Moscow-and Beijing-led BRICS economic grouping.However, in a speech during their meeting, Anwar said Malaysia sought good relations with all countries.

“As a country that believes in centrality, engaging with all countries, we, of course, decided to come with a big team to show our sincere attempt to enhance our collaboration,” Anwar told Putin.

“There is enormous potential that you have in Russia. … We would, of course, look forward to an effective follow-up program since the discussion must not end here.”

ASEAN, open trade, semiconductors and Russia

For his part, Putin said that with bilateral trade at only around U.S. $3.5 billion, much potential for bilateral collaborations remained untapped. 

He also said Russia hoped to explore more opportunities for cooperation with ASEAN when Malaysia takes over the rotating chairmanship of the regional bloc next year.

“As you know, Russia pays considerable attention to developing its relations with Southeast Asia and ASEAN,” he said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“We sincerely hope that during your chairmanship, we will be able to explore new opportunities for cooperation with this rapidly growing and promising region.”

Anwar responded to Putin’s comments on deeper ties with ASEAN, by mentioning a touchy diplomatic subject, but not saying much about it – semiconductors and open trade.

“As you know, ASEAN is always engaged with Russia, and we have open trade focusing on semiconductors, or on some of the related fields,” Anwar said.

“And I look forward to working with you and your team.”

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the United States began to impose sanctions on firms supplying semiconductors and other high-tech equipment that would help enhance Moscow’s defense capabilities. 

And Malaysia touts itself as a neutral global semiconductor, or chip-making hub, amid geopolitical strife. In May, it announced an investment of 25 billion ringgit (U.S. $5.74 billion) to ramp up the sector. 

The Malaysian Trade and Industry Ministry later reiterated that the country did not adhere to unilateral sanctions, and only followed multilateral sanctions and restrictions or prohibitions listed under the U.N. Security Council.

This came after the U.S. imposed sanctions on a Malaysian company Jatronics that allegedly sold chips to Russia, a charge the firm denied, saying it only had exported integrated circuits goods, local media reported.

According to a report by Malaysian state news agency Bernama, the U.S. since December 2023 has imposed a unilateral ban on five local companies for allegedly supplying items that Washington prohibits to Iran and the Russian armed forces.

Malaysia does not like American pressure related to following its sanctions, as was apparent in comments made by the country’s home minister to some U.S. Treasury officials in May.

Saifuddin Nasution said that he “nicely” told them Malaysia would not kowtow to U.S. sanctions on any country and over any issue.

Anwar’s foreign policy ‘shift’?

Anwar is the third Asian leader to meet with Putin in the past three months, following visits by Indonesian President-elect and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to Tunku Mohar Mokhtar of the International Islamic University Malaysia, Anwar’s general foreign policy approach until this visit had been to maintain good relations with all countries.

“Anwar seems to have this attitude of getting Malaysia to befriend all major powers despite differences among those powers,” the assistant professor of political science told BenarNews.

“[But] this [visit] is indeed a major shift in Malaysia’s foreign policy, moving away from the principle of equidistance.”

Malaysia’s deepening ties with Russia could put the Southeast Asian nation in an awkward position, particularly concerning the Ukrainian conflict, Tunku Mohar said.

Additionally, Malaysia’s firm interest in joining BRICS – an economic grouping currently comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – seems like a repudiation of entities like the G7 or Group of Seven industrialized nations.

Anwar said in a statement via social media on Wednesday that Putin had personally invited Malaysia to participate in the upcoming BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, scheduled for late October.

The invitation, the Malaysian PM said, was “a clear testament to the importance Russia places on Malaysia.”

“This marks a significant step towards our ultimate goal of joining the [BRICS] grouping,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said a decision on BRICS’ expansion would be made collectively at the Kazan summit, according to Russia’s state-owned news agency, Sputnik.

“We are aware of Malaysia’s interest in joining this organization,” Peskov said.

“We support this interest, along with that of several other countries, and we will discuss this issue with our BRICS colleagues.” 

Malaysia’s ‘pragmatism’

Malaysia now faces a decision, said BRICS expert Mihaela Papa, from MIT’s Center for International Studies.

“Should it join the growing list of BRICS applicants, potentially becoming the 24th or 30th country to align with the group’s agenda, or should it position itself as a nonaligned regional hub in this shifting geo-economic landscape?” she told BenarNews via email.

“Indonesia, for instance, has pursued friendly engagement with BRICS without formal membership, a role Singapore has similarly played between East and West, enabling its rise as a key economic hub over recent decades,” Papa, director of research at the MIT center, said.

She acknowledged that during times of high geopolitical uncertainty, countries seek to enhance their strategic autonomy by aligning with multiple institutions. 

Anwar, too, has said in recent months that Malaysia is neutral in its economic relationships and wanted to diversify its economic relationships.

For Papa, though, Malaysia’s move towards BRICS “already reveals a more Moscow-friendly and Beijing-friendly stance.”

Not so, said Benedict Weerasena, research director at the Kuala Lumpur-based think tank Bait Al-Amanah.

He said he did not believe Malaysia’s BRICS ambitions may alienate Western allies.

“Anwar has emphasized that Malaysia’s approach to foreign policy is rooted in independence, pragmatism, and a balanced engagement with all nations, whether they are from the East or the West,” he told BenarNews.

“Deepening ties with Russia should be seen as part of Malaysia’s strategy to diversify its diplomatic and economic relations, ensuring a well-rounded foreign policy that is neither overly reliant on nor antagonistic towards any specific group of countries.”