Constructing Malaysia: From Third World to Tiger Economy (Routledge Research Collections for Construction in Developing Countries)

This book addresses the evolution of Malaysia's construction industry from independence in 1957 to the present day.Rather than viewing construction simply as a technical or economic activity, it analyses the sector as a product of historical, political, social and institutional forces that have shaped Malaysia's broader development trajectory.Through a multidisciplinary perspective, the book explores how state policy, market structures, professional institutions, labour systems, technology adoption and infrastructure investment have collectively influenced the industry's transformation. The chapters examine Malaysia's historical development context, affirmative action policies and their impact on contractors, the role of foreign construction firms, the long-standing reliance on migrant labour and the emergence of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) as the country's principal industry development institution.The book further analyses national construction industry develop