FEATURES OF THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRIES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA (ON THE EXAMPLE OF MALAYSIA)

Abstract

This study examines the first stage of Malaysia’s modernization process (1957-1990s), highlighting its historical, socio-economic, and political dimensions. Following independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Malaysia confronted the dual challenge of overcoming the colonial legacy—characterized by a raw material- and agriculture-based economy—and laying the foundation for a diversified, modern economic system.