RIO DE JANEIRO: Malaysia has called for greater equity in global health and climate action at the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit, emphasising the need for fair vaccine distribution, stronger public health systems, and sustainable financing for developing nations.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that financial systems must not undermine essential services like healthcare and clean water.
“Let us begin with a hard truth. In too much of the world, life expectancy remains shaped not by biology, but by income,“ he said during the summit’s session on environment and global health.
Anwar welcomed the launch of the BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases, noting that addressing disease requires tackling underlying social conditions. He also advocated for deeper ASEAN-BRICS collaboration in health surveillance, knowledge sharing, and cross-border resilience.
On climate action, Malaysia reaffirmed its commitment to reducing emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 and achieving net-zero by 2050. Anwar highlighted policy measures such as the National Energy Transition Roadmap and the development of carbon pricing mechanisms.
However, he pointed out that climate finance remains insufficient, with only US$300 billion available annually against an estimated US$3 trillion needed by developing nations.
As ASEAN Chair, Malaysia is working to enhance regional climate coordination, improve green finance access, and position Southeast Asia as a hub for clean energy innovation. Ahead of COP30 in Brazil, Anwar urged a shift “from aspiration to execution,“ stressing that climate justice involves fair allocation of capital, risk, and responsibility.
Anwar arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Malaysia became a BRICS Partner Country on January 1 this year.
