An astute observation. Look at the real jewel of the region, Singapore. Started as a small fishing village and developed by British entrepreneur Raffles into a British Navy and merchant trading post along the one open east to west route between India and China. Then cast aside by Malaysia as too Chinese for their Muslim majority tastes. Since then gone from dirt floor shacks and an Arab Street and quarter straight out of Hollywood movie, to a glittering ultra-modern island city set amidst an equatorial rain forest.
Singapore is the most amazing city I’ve ever been to. And they have the best airport in the world (Changi).