MALAYSIA’S application to join the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (Brics) intergovernmental economic bloc is a key step towards showcasing the country’s strength in multiculturalism and tolerance of racial and religious diversities, said a former MP today.

Former Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff also said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent application to join Brics marks a strategic shift in the nation’s global diplomacy.