Malaysia has applied to join the BRICS inter-governmental organisation, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirming the application in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting focused on enhancing the bilateral ties between the two countries across various sectors such as trade, investment, security, defence, education, science, technology, tourism, and culture. BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China, was formed in 2009 as a platform for emerging economies, later added South Africa in 2010 and most recently expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. Attribution: WAM
