Stronger Malaysia-Russia ties not at expense of others
KAZAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today that Malaysia's growing ties with Russia should not be seen as a zero-sum game, stressing that as an open trading nation, it is vital for the country to expand partnerships broadly to protect its economic interests.
He stressed that strengthening relations with one country does not mean weakening ties with others, including the United States (US).
'It should not be seen as a matter of a zero-sum game. It should be complementary,' Anwar told reporters at the exit press conference at the end of his four-day official visit to Russia, when asked if close ties with Moscow would affect Malaysia's relations with other countries.
His official visit here included meetings with President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and several industry leaders in Moscow and Kazan.
In fact, as an open trading nation, Malaysia remains committed to expanding trade partnerships broadly and independently, as part of efforts to protect and promote national economic interests, said Anwar, who is also Finance Minister.
'Malaysia is a trading country. To protect our interests, we have to broaden and expand our market and trading partnerships,' he said.
Malaysia continues to welcome American investments, citing recent discussions between Malaysian agencies and US counterparts.
'In fact, just last week, AMD (Advanced Micro Devices Inc) was there. There have been serious discussions to expand activities, and we certainly welcome that,' said the prime minister.
Touching on the sanctions faced by Russia, Anwar reiterated Malaysia's position that only sanctions endorsed by multilateral institutions like the United Nations (UN) carry weight in its foreign policy considerations.
'If a sanction is imposed by a multilateral agency like the UN, of course, we respect that. But if it is a unilateral action by any individual country, that is difficult for us as an independent country to just honour,' he said.
He acknowledged that payment-related issues were raised by Malaysian businesses operating in Russia, but said both governments are working to find solutions.
'There are many areas that are not under sanction, such as education. We are moving forward in those sectors,' he said.
During his visit, Anwar focused on boosting economic cooperation, especially in the halal industry and Islamic finance.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
PAS eyes support of ‘critical' non-Malays disgruntled with govt
PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah said that although some PH supporters may have become disappointed with the party, they still disliked PAS over its perceived hardline Malay-Muslim stance. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Non-Malay voters disgruntled with the Pakatan Harapan-led government are the target of PAS, the largest opposition party in the Dewan Rakyat, as it prepares for the next general election. PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah acknowledged that Malay-Muslim parties have struggled to gain the support of non-Malays. However, it was apparent that voters who make up PH's core support have become increasingly critical of the government led by PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim, Amar said in an interview with Malaysiakini. 'The question now is how PAS can attract them to our side,' Amar was quoted as saying. The challenge was to find more convincing ways to win over the non-Malays ahead of the general election, which is due by February 2028. While some PH supporters may have become disappointed with the coalition's inability to execute various reforms it had promised, he admitted that they still disliked PAS due to its perceived hardline Malay-Muslim stance. 'This is what we're currently thinking about: how to win their support,' he said, adding that the Islamic party must preserve its clean image to retain young voters. Amar also took a swipe at its Perikatan Nasional partner Gerakan for making statements that have 'harmed and undermined' PAS. He urged Gerakan, the only multiracial party in the opposition coalition, to exercise control in making public statements, adding that PAS keeps an eye on such matters. 'I have to be honest here, because occasionally their remarks have backfired. They need to be careful and exercise control, because we're part of the same coalition. There must be give and take,' he said. Gerakan has 'much to improve' in attracting Chinese voters, who have been largely supporting DAP, and Gerakan's machinery and groundwork needed improvement, while the party's image itself needed to be rebuilt, he said. In November last year, Gerakan president Dominic Lau urged PAS to declare that it will not interfere with the rights of other communities, in order to ease the concerns of non-Malays and boost their support for PN. However, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man shot down the proposal, saying Gerakan should not blame the Islamic party for its failure to muster support from the Chinese community.
Free Malaysia Today
8 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Stay out of India-Pakistan conflict, MP urges Anwar
Backbencher Larry Sng, who is president of Parti Bangsa Malaysia, said the Indo-Pakistan dispute is 'beyond us'. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : A backbencher has urged the government to stay out of the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, and to instead focus on leading Asean this year. Julau MP Larry Sng said the dispute between the two South Asian nations was 'beyond us' while chairing Asean was the mandate at hand for the unity government. 'Malaysia should not interfere in the India-Pakistan conflict, it is beyond us. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should solely focus on Asean, that is our mandate,' said Sng, who is president of Parti Bangsa Malaysia. Last month, Anwar said Malaysia was open to helping cool tensions between India and Pakistan after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April. He said Malaysia's close ties with both nations placed it in a position to support steps towards ensuring peace and stability in the region. Indian MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, who was on an official trip to Malaysia last week, said the conflict was strictly between the two nations and required no foreign mediation. However, Pakistan's high commissioner to Malaysia Syed Ahsan Raza Shah welcomed Anwar's offer, saying the prime minister was highly respected in both countries. Earlier today, Anwar said Malaysia only hopes for a peaceful resolution in the dispute.
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
UNRWA slams Israeli ban on foreign media access to Gaza
ANKARA: Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), on Saturday condemned Israel's ongoing ban on international journalists entering Gaza, calling it an unprecedented act in modern conflict. 'This is unprecedented in any other conflict in modern history,' Lazzarini said in a statement, Anadolu Ajansı reported. 'It is a ban on the truth. It is a ban on reporting the facts. It is the perfect recipe to fuel misinformation, deepening polarisation and dehumanisation.' He stressed the importance of allowing independent reporting and supporting local journalists: 'International journalists must independently report from Gaza and support their Palestinian colleagues who continue to do a heroic job at a heavy price.' 'Nearly 200 of them have been reported killed since the war began,' said Lazzarini, stressing that 'the ban on international media must be lifted.' Meanwhile, UNRWA on Saturday reiterated its call for cooperation from the Israeli government over allegations made against the agency, stating that no credible evidence has been provided despite repeated requests. 'UNRWA has repeatedly requested cooperation and evidence from Israel regarding the serious allegations made against the agency,' the agency said in an official statement. 'After 20 months, UNRWA has not received any response, nor has the Government of Israel shared any sufficient evidence.' The agency emphasised its continued commitment to its humanitarian mandate, stating: 'UNRWA remains committed to its mandate and is ready to deliver humanitarian assistance at scale in Gaza, together with other UN agencies.' Israel, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a genocidal offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million inhabitants.
