Malaysia's foreign policy supports cooperation without external pressure
SEREMBAN: Malaysia's peaceful, independent and non-aligned foreign policy, which is also investor-friendly, enables the country to foster cooperation with any party without yielding to external pressure, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He emphasised that Malaysia is free to engage and form bilateral relations with any nation, as long as they respect the international rule-based order.
"This has been our policy since independence, and no one should be alarmed by our bilateral ties with any country, including Russia," he told reporters today.
"As a sovereign nation, we have our own foreign policy grounded in peace, independence, and neutrality. We should not bow to or follow any party's pressure. We can engage and befriend anyone, as long as they observe international rules and laws," he said.
Mohamad was speaking after officiating the 2025 state-level National Youth Day celebration at the Youth and Sports Complex in Paroi.
Recently, media reports highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks that Malaysia–Russia ties are growing stronger, affirming both nations' commitment to deepening meaningful and productive cooperation.
Putin made the remarks following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official four-day visit to Russia from May 13 to 16.
Mohamad, who is also Rembau member of Parliament, noted that although Malaysia–Russia relations have been longstanding, they have not been engaged at the highest level since the visit by the late Tun Abdullah Badawi in 2007.
"I must emphasise that our friendship with Russia is not about adopting its ideology — our focus is on strengthening trade relations," he said.
"As our economy is trade-based, it is crucial to open up markets as widely as possible so that our goods can penetrate new markets.
"At the same time, we must attract as much foreign investment as possible to develop the country effectively," he added.
He also shared that Russia has offered 50 scholarships for Malaysian students to pursue studies in technology and postgraduate degrees there.
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