Malaysia s entry into international affairs as the independent Federation of Malaya in 1957 marked the emergence of a uniquely new factor in Southeast Asian regional politics. However, by dint of an amazingly intuitive and constructive leadership from the very beginning, it became an attention-grabbing and daring player in the world at large within the following two decades. This book captures Malaysia s first 50 years in international diplomacy and is intended as a handy guide for the interested reader rather than a substansive reference source. Professor Chandran presents a systematic account of how the Foreign Ministry of Malaysia developed step-by-step and grew in confidence in its international dealings. Based on interviews with a wide range of retired diplomats and politicians, this study is aimed at both the specialist and general reader and offers a balanced contribution to an important story.