Latest news with #Russia–IslamicWorld:KazanForum2025
Barnama
19-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Anwar In Russia: Not Anti-West, But Multi Vector Foreign Economic Policy At Work
But to frame this journey in binary terms - East versus West, or Islam versus the liberal order - is both shallow and inaccurate. KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's recent trip to Russia, including his stop in Kazan for the Russia–Islamic World: Kazan Forum 2025, has raised questions among critics who misread it as a geopolitical tilt or an implicit affront to the West. In truth, Anwar's outreach to Russia should be seen in its correct frame: as a deliberate, principled effort to enhance regional resilience in a world where the global economic and financial architecture is increasingly fractured. This regional multilateral currency swap arrangement, initially involving the ASEAN+3 countries (China, Japan, and South Korea), is now evolving into a more robust mechanism of financial cooperation. In an interview with TV BRICS, Anwar highlighted one key initiative that reflects this regional focus - the Chiang Mai Initiative. Anwar noted that countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and China have already begun using local currencies in about 20 per cent of their bilateral trade, amounting to billions of dollars in transactions. This is no small feat in a world still largely dominated by the US dollar. These moves, Anwar stressed, are not designed to dethrone the dollar, but to 'establish some form of reprieve to help mitigate risks and protect our national interests.' In the wake of volatile US monetary policy, unilateral sanctions, and de-dollarisation trends led by the BRICS bloc, regional monetary autonomy is not anti-West - it is pro-stability. Regionalism: The Precursor to Globalisation Anwar's statements point to a larger truth: regionalism has always been the precursor and foundation of globalisation. Before goods, services, and capital flowed across continents, they flowed across borders within regions. Trade, trust, and treaties were first forged between neighbours. The UN Charter's Chapter VIII explicitly recognises regional arrangements as necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security. In Asia, the spirit of regional financial self-help has long been in the air. Proposals such as the Asian Monetary Fund (AMF) and the Asian Currency Unit (ACU) emerged during and after the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, when countries realised the limitations of relying solely on Bretton Woods institutions like the IMF. Japan floated the idea of the AMF to provide emergency liquidity directly to Asian economies. Though the proposal was quietly shelved under pressure from the US Treasury and IMF, the logic behind it has not faded. Today, as geopolitical fragmentation deepens, the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) and bilateral currency swaps are steps toward that very vision of financial regionalism—one that is less susceptible to the whims of extra-regional powers. Not Isolationism, But Inclusion Malaysia's diplomacy under Anwar Ibrahim is not about turning inward or isolating from the West. It is about balancing, diversifying, and deepening regional roots, while staying globally engaged. By engaging Russia, Anwar is not condoning all of Moscow's actions; rather, he is asserting ASEAN's right to speak with all powers, not just a select few. As a mature democracy, Malaysia reserves the right to articulate its interests and values on the global stage. The Russia–Islamic World Forum in Kazan is not a tool of confrontation - it is a platform of convergence, one that reflects Malaysia's commitment to intercivilisational dialogue and Islamic solidarity without negating its Western partnerships. Indeed, Malaysia continues to value its strong trade and investment relationships with the US, the European Union, and the UK. But this should not come at the cost of silencing legitimate engagement with China, Russia, Central Asia, or the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). In fact, Anwar's visit underscores the need for multi-vector diplomacy, something long embedded in Malaysia's foreign policy tradition dating back to Tun Razak and continued through Mahathir and Abdullah Badawi. Asia as an Anchor in a Post-Global World The world is now shifting from a unipolar, globalisation-driven model to a more regionalised, fragmented order - a phenomenon some scholars have termed 'slowbalisation'. In this climate, regions like ASEAN must rebuild trust and cooperation from the inside out. Energy security, trade finance, digital infrastructure, and semiconductors are no longer merely national issues - they are deeply regional, if not civilisational, in scope. The Chiang Mai Initiative, with its emphasis on currency stability, is one pillar. Others include the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), cross-border QR code payment systems, regional green bond markets, and efforts at harmonising digital standards. Together, these build economic sovereignty, not dependency. Anwar's support for such initiatives reflects not nostalgia, but pragmatism. His call for using local currencies in trade is not a revolution; it is a recalibration of Asia's own tools of resilience. Conclusion: Return to First Principles In the face of rising Islamophobia, Sinophobia, trade wars, and technological decoupling, the time has come for Asia to return to first principles - dialogue, respect for sovereignty, mutual benefit, and cooperation. Anwar's engagement in Russia, Central Asia, and the Islamic world is a civilisational choice, not a geopolitical gamble. Malaysia is asserting that the future of the international order lies not in confrontation, but in confluence. In this regard, the Kazan Forum, the Chiang Mai Initiative, and other Asian platforms represent a gentle but firm resistance to economic coercion, and a revival of regional multilateralism at its best. In other words, Anwar's diplomacy is not anti-West. It is pro-Asia, pro-justice, and pro-resilience - values the world needs now more than ever. -- BERNAMA (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of BERNAMA) BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. 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Daily Express
18-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Stronger Malaysia-Russia ties not at others' expense
Published on: Sunday, May 18, 2025 Published on: Sun, May 18, 2025 Text Size: Anwar speaks at a press conference after the Plenary Session of the XVI International Economic Forum 'Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025' at Kazan Expo, recently. KAZAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Saturday 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). Advertisement '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. Advertisement 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. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
17-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Samenta seals strategic partnerships with Russia at KazanForum 2025
Veecotech chief executive officer Alain Lye (right) exchanges the MoU with VisionLabs director Dmitry Kulakovsky, witnessed by Ng (centre). KUCHING (May 17): The Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (Samenta) sealed four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with its Russian counterparts during the 'Russia–Islamic World: KazanForum 2025'. The first MoU was inked with the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) to collaborate on small and medium enterprise (SME) innovation policies, talent mobility, and joint technology accelerators, said Samenta in a statement today. 'The second MoU was signed with the Association of Clusters, Technology Parks and Special Economic Zones of Russia, aimed to establish a bilateral innovation corridor connecting SMEs and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in both countries. 'The third MoU was sealed between Samenta member, Veecotech Solutions Sdn Bhd and VisionLabs, to co-develop and commercialise AI-driven computer vision applications in Southeast Asia. 'The last MoU was inked between Veecotech, ICL (Russia) and Kazan IT Park, aimed to incubate cross-border startups and conduct joint research in cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and enterprise platforms,' it added. According to Samenta national president Datuk William Ng, these agreements represent actionable frameworks to bring Russian and Malaysian SMEs together not just for trade, but for co-creation and innovation. 'Among the memoranda signed were with Russia's Agency for Strategic Initiatives, an innovation agency personally chaired by President Vladimir Putin. 'This shows the importance of Malaysia to Russia, and the honour the country places on Malaysia and our Prime Minister,' he said. Ng pointed out that the successful engagements in Kazan are aligned with Samenta's #samenta2036 vision of building omnipresence for Malaysian SMEs and ensuring they are integral players in the global value chain. He expressed deepest appreciation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for including SMEs in Malaysia's international economic diplomacy and for ensuring that the country's entrepreneurs are given global visibility and opportunities. Additionally, he hailed Anwar's successful mission to Russia as a major milestone for Malaysia-Russia economic ties, with tangible outcomes for the SME sector. 'The Prime Minister's participation in the KazanForum 2025 marked a renewed commitment to multilateral engagement, with SMEs taking centre stage,' he added. Ng led a delegation of 10 Malaysian SMEs participating in the KazanForum 2025 and a series of business and innovation dialogues focused on SME internationalisation, digitalisation, and industrial cooperation. He was a featured speaker at two high-level forums, namely the 'Russian-Malaysian Economic and Industrial Cooperation: Opportunities for Growth through Technology and Innovation' and 'International Association of BRICS SEZ: A Platform for Multilateral Economic Cooperation between Russia and the OIC'. 'Our message was clear: 'Malaysian SMEs are agile, tech-savvy, and ready to engage with global partners'. This forum gave us the ideal platform to initiate direct collaboration with Russian agencies and innovation clusters,' he said.
