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.
