Malaysia Has To Be Bold In Strengthening Economic Relations With Russia -- Anwar

From Nurul Hanis Izmir

KAZAN, June 18 (Bernama) — Malaysia needs to be more bold and aggressive in strengthening economic relations with Russia and other countries that have the potential to benefit the nation, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said.

Speaking to the Malaysian media at a closing press conference after his two-day working visit to the ASEAN–Russia Commemorative Summit here, Anwar said Malaysia could no longer remain bound to an old, overly cautious approach in international relations.

"I see that in several areas, we need to move further forward, be more aggressive and bolder despite certain geopolitical considerations that have made us overly cautious in the past.

"If we tread too slowly, we will be left behind. This concerns me greatly," he said.

Although Malaysia enjoys respect and recognition on the international stage, the next step is to ensure that these relationships are translated into economic, trade, and investment benefits for the people, he said.

Anwar said one of the areas that requires attention is energy cooperation, including oil supplies from Russia.

"The issue of oil from Russia is extremely important, and our relationship with Russia is very good. However, we have been somewhat too cautious in pursuing this matter more firmly. This is what I mean when I say that we need to take action," he said.

He added that Malaysia should also re-evaluate its approach to relations with several countries, including Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Iran.

According to Anwar, meetings with leaders and investors during the ASEAN–Russia Commemorative Summit, as well as sessions with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Eurasian Economic Commission, revealed several shortcomings that need to be aggressively addressed.

Anwar said Malaysia should also study Russia’s experience in developing a modern agricultural sector after facing Western sanctions.

He said Russia had successfully reduced reliance on imports for about one and a half years through its commitment to technology and agricultural modernisation.

“Representatives from the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry should examine this together with, perhaps, the Economy Ministry to see how we can make certain adjustments — not only in discussions relating to industry and investment, but also in modern agriculture,” he said.

In the field of education, Anwar said he discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin the possibility of expanding opportunities for Malaysian students in Russia.

There are about 500 Malaysian students currently in Russia pursuing medical sciences and other fields of study.

“First, he has agreed to provide additional opportunities for students, including increasing the number of places and scholarships.

“Secondly, we also want to identify areas such as space technology, artificial intelligence (AI), digital fields, and several other emerging disciplines. These should be given priority,” he said.

Anwar also said he received a very warm welcome from the President of Uzbekistan during his stop in Tashkent, where discussions were held on cooperation in energy, education, information technology, and digital development.

According to him, the economies of several Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, are now stronger than before. Malaysia, as part of its efforts to broaden international cooperation, should give them greater attention.

— BERNAMA