The collaboration would include economics but also many other areas, she said when asked by Malaysian media about Malaysia and Thailand’s wish to join the BRICS grouping of emerging economies.

Sim said Singapore could not comment on the choices other countries made but noted that “every country has the right to join any grouping they choose”.

“As far as Singapore is concerned, our stance towards any of these groupings is that within the Southeast Asian context, we always place emphasis on Asean centrality while noting that there are other regional groupings and other types of groupings aside from Asean,” she said.

Singapore actively engages in regional and global cooperation, such as participating as a guest in G20 meetings. However, its primary affiliation is Asean, which it shares with neighbouring Malaysia.

Malaysia said last week an application to join BRICS has been submitted to the organisation’s current chairman, Russia.

BRICS originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009 as a cooperation platform for rapidly developing economies. It has been expanded to include South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.