14/09/2026

MONDAY | SEPT 14, 2026

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Malaysian Paper

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PM discusses issue of forest fires with Prabowo NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has taken the issue of cross-border forest fires directly to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, putting the regional environmental threat at the centre of their informal talks during the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit dinner. In a post on his official social media accounts following engagements with several global leaders, Anwar said the discussions with Prabowo also covered the conflict in West Asia. “With President Prabowo Subianto, we also touched on the issue of forest fires as well as the

Concrete steps needed for financial future of emerging economies: Anwar NEW DELHI: High debt burdens, unfair trade practices and global economic instability are choking developing nations, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, calling on emerging economies to take concrete steps to secure their financial future. Addressing global leaders at the 18th BRICS summit, Anwar said the rapid pace of technological advancement was widening the contradiction between global progress and the economic realities confronting poor nations, where mounting interest payments are consuming funds needed for essential public services. “We meet at a moment of great contradiction. Technology has rarely advanced faster. “Yet for much of the developing world, economic uplift remains remote. No nation should be forced to choose between honouring its debts and honouring its obligations to its people.” Anwar called for financing mechanisms that are “fit for purpose” to tackle debt distress while urging greater use of local currency settlements and Islamic capital markets to reduce over-reliance on traditional Western financial frameworks. He also called on BRICS members and partners to share technical expertise, training and development experience in critical emerging sectors, including semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI). On the green transition, Anwar said countries should be allowed to move at a pace suited to their respective stages of development, including through technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage. Anwar described BRICS as a critical engine for greater geoeconomic independence, with its vast integrated market providing member states with opportunities to diversify trade and build shared prosperity. He said Malaysia’s participation as a partner country was rooted in strategic autonomy, allowing it to chart its own path and stand by its decisions on the world stage. Linking economic stability directly to global security, Anwar warned that the conflict in the Middle East is fuelling inflation, pushing up energy prices and threatening vital sea lanes far beyond the immediate conflict zone. “Malaysia’s position is clear. Sovereignty must be respected, civilians protected and the arteries of the global economy kept out of the battlefield.” Meanwhile, Anwar said Malaysia is looking into acquiring India’s advanced BrahMos air-to-surface missile system to strengthen its air defence capabilities. In an earlier interview with Indian news channel NDTV, Anwar confirmed that talks were under way with Indian officials, although no final deal had been signed. He said he had raised the potential purchase directly during bilateral discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Anwar said the final decision rests with the Royal Malaysian Air Force, which would assess whether the system meets its technical and strategic requirements. The BrahMos is a high-speed cruise missile developed jointly by India and Russia. It can be launched from aircraft to strike targets on land or at sea and is known for its high speed and accuracy. – BY AZURA ABAS

It also reaffirms the bloc’s commitment to resilient global value chains, aimed at helping developing economies move into higher-value manufacturing instead of remaining primarily exporters of raw materials. On climate policy, the declaration takes a pragmatic approach, recognising that developing economies must balance energy transition with economic growth. It acknowledges that fossil fuels will continue to play a necessary role for developing countries as they transition towards cleaner energy. For resource-rich Southeast Asian nations, the declaration goes further by upholding their sovereign rights over their natural resources while promoting resilient clean-technology mineral supply chains. Crucially, it calls for local processing and value creation rather than mere extraction, ensuring that resource-rich nations have a greater share of the economic gains from their own resources. On geopolitics, the declaration anchors its vision of a multipolar world in the 1955 Bandung Principles – sovereign equality, non-interference and the peaceful resolution of disputes. These are principles that have long underpinned Malaysia’s non-aligned foreign policy. Paragraph 36 addresses another issue close to Putrajaya – the safety of UN peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), following recent escalations of conflict in West Asia. BRICS leaders condemned attacks on UN personnel and facilities, demanded full accountability and made clear that the safety of peacekeepers is non-negotiable. For Malaysia, with its troops actively serving in Unifil, the issue is particularly significant. The 2026 New Delhi Summit makes one thing clear: Malaysia’s BRICS partnership is no longer simply about diplomatic positioning. From the fight against cross-border scams and cheaper, safer cross-border payments to stronger protection for Malaysian peacekeepers and greater space for developing economies in global decision-making, the declaration puts practical priorities at the heart of Malaysia’s engagement with BRICS. development of the conflict in West Asia, which requires consensus and joint action.” Anwar also renewed his invitation to Prabowo to visit Malaysia as soon as possible so that several pending bilateral matters could be discussed and finalised. Recent reports have highlighted a sharp spike in forest and peatland fires across Kalimantan and Sumatra, driven by dry weather and widespread “slash-and-burn” practices to clear land for oil palm and agricultural expansion. Indonesian authorities have deployed cloud-seeding planes and water-bombing helicopters while arresting dozens of individuals and targeting companies linked to illegal burning. The dinner on Saturday also provided a platform for wider diplomatic outreach, with Anwar meeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. “Our discussions touched on global geopolitical developments, especially the conflict and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza as well as tensions in West Asia. “This situation demands a unified resolve from the international community, especially world leaders, to stop the bloodshed and work towards a fair and lasting solution.”– BY AZURA ABAS

Anwar being received by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at the summit in New Delhi. – BERNAMAPIC New Delhi Declaration adopted unanimously

o For Malaysia, as bloc’s partner country, blueprint puts multilateral weight behind issues that matter to rakyat

payment platforms. To fight back, member countries have committed to strengthening international cooperation to trace and recover stolen funds, protect victims and shut down illegal operations across borders. They also pledged closer cooperation among Customs and tax authorities, financial intelligence units, police and technology companies, with the goal to harness data analytics and risk-based monitoring to detect fake invoices and fraudulent payments in real time, before the money disappears. On the economic front, the declaration offers structural support for emerging markets seeking greater protection from global financial shocks. BRICS leaders called for urgent International Monetary Fund and World Bank quota realignments to increase the voting shares of emerging markets and developing economies without diminishing the representation of developing nations. Crucially, for Malaysian exporters and businesses, the document tasks the BRICS Payment Task Force with accelerating low-cost, secure cross-border payment tools and encouraging local currency settlement in trade and investment to reduce foreign exchange exposure. The summit also advanced mechanisms to help MSMEs secure working capital and integrate into international trade. This is complemented by calls to digitise trade documentation and strengthen cooperation across Special Economic Zones to streamline cross-border trade flows. As a global semiconductor hub and trade-reliant nation, Malaysia also stands to benefit from BRICS’ firm rejection of unilateral economic restrictions. The declaration takes aim at unilateral tariff hikes, non-tariff barriers and trade-distorting measures.

AZURA ABAS at 18th BRICS Summit, New Delhi

NEW DELHI: As world leaders wrapped up the 18th BRICS Summit in the Indian capital yesterday, the unanimous adoption of the landmark 45-page New Delhi Declaration set out a sweeping blueprint for a more resilient, multipolar global order. For Malaysia, a BRICS partner country, the declaration has tangible implications far more than diplomatic paperwork. It puts multilateral weight behind issues that matter directly to Malaysians, from dismantling cross-border scam syndicates and reducing currency risks to protecting Malaysian peacekeepers serving abroad. Adopted under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, the declaration contains 140 detailed paragraphs, reflecting consensus among member nations. Against a backdrop of rising trade tensions, financial uncertainty and global polarisation, the outcomes offer Putrajaya stronger international backing for key economic, security and foreign policy priorities. For ordinary Malaysians, perhaps the most immediate outcome is the push for a multilateral crackdown on cross-border financial fraud. Recognising the severe security threat it posed to Southeast Asia, BRICS leaders explicitly condemned the growing reach of organised criminal syndicates. The declaration flags the escalating threat of transnational organised crime and illicit financial flows, with leaders expressing serious concern over cross-border financial fraud operations that exploit digital technology and