PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is positioning Malaysia – and ASEAN under its current chairmanship – as a pivotal force in the Global South, championing a shift away from global bipolarity towards equitable power-sharing through multipolarity.
During official visits spanning South America to Southeast Asia and most recently Russia, Anwar’s message has remained consistent—deeper South-South collaboration is crucial for emerging economies to chart their own futures, free from dominance by the developed North.
“This is why we proposed for the IMF to undertake reforms to the global financial architecture and for the WTO to support free trade without discrimination of smaller nations,” he said in Moscow, where he met President Vladimir Putin.
Anwar noted that Malaysia’s push within the Global South is rooted in the principle of a “shared future” – a vision, he said, that has gained traction among fellow leaders.
“The rise of protectionism has begun, even among G20 nations that were originally proponents of free trade principles,” he added.
Malaysia is now one of nine partner countries within BRICS, the rapidly expanding economic bloc originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Its recent enlargement to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates marks a significant boost to the group’s global influence.
Anwar’s call for a stronger Global South comes as emerging economies account for more than 40 per cent of global GDP and 85 per cent of the world’s population – a demographic and economic reality demanding greater representation in global decision-making.
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia in April, Anwar similarly underscored the need for greater influence from the Global South in multilateral institutions.
As Finance Minister, Anwar has also stressed that Malaysia, an open trading economy, must continue broadening partnerships amid rising geopolitical realignments to safeguard its economic interests.
“We will continue to promote an inclusive and sustainable approach to peace and security, both within our immediate region and beyond,” he said.
In an article published by Project Syndicate, Anwar said Malaysia would work to revitalise key regional platforms such as ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) and the East Asia Summit – the only forum for strategic dialogue among regional and global powers in a neutral setting.
The upcoming ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit – bringing together 10 Southeast Asian nations and six Middle Eastern countries – is expected to deepen Global South cooperation, reinforcing ASEAN’s commitment to multilateralism and resistance to unilateralism. - May 20, 2025
