Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced his strong support for Malaysia's bid to become a full member of BRICS during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on October 27, 2025, describing Malaysia as a natural partner with shared values and growing economic potential while attending the 47th ASEAN Summit.
Malaysia was officially recognized as one of 13 nations added to BRICS as a partner country on October 24, 2024, joining a bloc that collectively accounts for one-fifth of global trade and originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
China has also expressed its backing for Malaysia's full membership application, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stating on October 28, 2025, that BRICS welcomes Malaysia and other like-minded Global South partners to join the cooperation platform that promotes world multipolarization and democratization of international relations.
Lula emphasized during his inaugural visit to Malaysia that trade between Brazil and Malaysia, along with Indonesia, currently stands at approximately $12 billion—a figure he considers modest compared to the economic strength and potential of the nations involved.
The Brazilian leader, celebrating his 80th birthday during the visit, praised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership and called on Brazilian businesses to pursue trade and investment opportunities with greater boldness in Malaysia and other emerging markets across the Global South.
