<figure id="attachment_3009395" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3009395" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-3009395 size-full" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/b594bffd-datuk-seri-anwar-ibrahim-bernama-150325.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3009395" class="wp-caption-text">Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said countries that long viewed others as partners or competitors in a global marketplace now see only adversaries or proxies in a global contest for influence and dominance. (Bernama pic)</figcaption></figure>
KUALA LUMPUR: Trade wars, tariffs and sanctions have been transformed from economic tools into weapons in a broader struggle for dominance, fostering an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust that is eroding the foundations of international cooperation, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said countries that long viewed others as partners or competitors in a global marketplace now see only adversaries or proxies in a global contest for influence and dominance.
He said that as the competition between the US and China disrupts economies, technologies and alliances around the world, smaller countries are often forced to pick sides or risk becoming pawns in a larger geopolitical game.
“As a new world order takes shape, we must also be mindful of the growing challenges facing countries across the Global South,” he said in a commentary titled The Global South Path’s to Economic Resilience published on the Project Syndicate website.
“Many of the mechanisms that once drove these countries&#8217; development are weakening, while the very concept of development aid is coming under intense scrutiny from some of the world’s most powerful countries.
“Economic interdependence, once the cornerstone of global prosperity, has now become a source of tension.
“If this trend continues, interconnectedness could ultimately become a vulnerability, even for countries that have long flourished under globalisation.”
Anwar said that despite the current uncertainty surrounding protectionism, Malaysia will not lose sight of its goal to create sustainable, inclusive, and equitable growth.
He said the country is also determined to solidify its position as a vital hub for trade, investment, and technological innovation.
These goals were among the reasons Malaysia made the strategic decision to join the BRICS group of major emerging economies.
He said Malaysia&#8217;s pursuit of BRICS membership advances the goal of narrowing the development disparities between the Global South and Global North.
“Contrary to some pundits&#8217; claims, this is not about taking sides in the Sino-American rivalry. On the contrary, the decision reflects a clear understanding of the shifting geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape in which we operate.
“By engaging with rival power blocs and creating a diverse array of viable economic opportunities, middle powers like Malaysia can pave the way for lasting peace and prosperity for their citizens in the Global South.
“For us, that remains a critical goal and urgent priority,” he said.
Project Syndicate is an international non-profit media organisation that publishes and syndicates commentary and analysis on a variety of global topics by the world’s leading thinkers, policymakers and activists.

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