KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has today sought to allay fears over Malaysia joining the Brics intergovernmental organisation, saying it would not affect domestic politics.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said the application process to join the bloc may take some time, but Malaysia will likely be admitted as a "partner country” soon.

"Although the systems of countries like China and Russia are different, but in terms of trade and cooperation, they are countries that are close to us,” he said during the Ministers’ Question Time.

"Our decision is not to interfere in the domestic political affairs of each country but emphasise the priority of economic trade and expand the network so that the country and the people, especially traders and investors will benefit from it.”

Anwar was responding to Lee Chuan How (PH-Ipoh Timor) who asked about Malaysia’s direction following its intention to join Brics, and how this move could benefit the country’s economic development.

Doris Sophia Brodi (GPS-Sri Aman) in a supplementary question also asked about the implications of Malaysia's participation in Brics on the relationship and cooperation with other countries.

Anwar also compared the situation with Malaysia's relationship with the Western world and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) bloc, saying Putrajaya does not necessarily agree with the other member states.

"There are even big disagreements and differences such as the Gaza issue, the issue of developing countries, the issue of trade competition in the WTO,” he said, referring to the World Trade Organisation.

"That should not break the relationship when the priority is trade.”

Anwar also said that the government is confident that Malaysia's participation in the alliance will benefit the country as the gross domestic product (GDP) of the bloc has reached US$26.6 trillion (RM125 trillion), which is 26.2 per cent of the world's GDP.

The prime minister first announced Malaysia's intention to join Brics in June.

Initially made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the bloc has also admitted Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates as partners.

Brics now accounts for a quarter of the global economy, including a fifth of global trade with a population of around 40 per cent of the world’s population.