COMMENT | Malaysia’s participation in the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly, while laden with high hopes and expectations on the returns on the country’s economic and soft power revival, remains a missed opportunity for a bigger showcase of the country’s global return in role, impact and influence.

The UN is divided, and the world remains split at the economic, ideological and security perspectives.

It also remains fractured and fast becoming obsolete because of the impasse at its Security Council and the toothless and non-binding UN General Assembly.

The so-called rise of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and Global South led by different factions wanting to display greater influence and dominance has further created incentivisation of power bandwagoning.

From Lula da Silva of Brazil to Xi Jinping and...