KUALA LUMPUR, October 28. /TASS/. Malaysia has informed BRICS of its intention to join the group and is awaiting a response, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told TASS on the sidelines of the recently concluded Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur.

"We have informed them. We are awaiting their response," he said, answering a question about the next step toward membership.

Earlier, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated at a press conference following a state visit to Malaysia that the country "can count on Brazil's full support" in its bid to join BRICS as a full member.

Malaysia is not yet a full member of BRICS, but it is involved in joint initiatives with the group's countries in areas such as trade, energy, and infrastructure development.

BRICS was founded in 2006. In 2011, South Africa joined the original group – Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia became full members on January 1, 2024. Indonesia joined BRICS on January 6, 2025. Malaysia became a BRICS partner state on January 1, 2025. At the same time, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan received this status. Nigeria joined them on January 17, and Vietnam on June 14.