The globalisation of innovation has become a major issue in the discourses of economic development. There is a view that unfettered market forces will promote greater and better developmental outcomes and for this to happen, the state must play a minimalist role. There is the other view that argues that the state can play ‘catalytic’ roles and mediate the forces of globalisation to engender outcomes congruent to its aspirations. In this paper, we look at the experiences of one Asian state, Malaysia. The paper will examine the historical evolution of technology policies in Malaysia. It argues that the Malaysian state has been an active change agent and has sought to realise its vision of becoming a democratic, modern and ‘developed society’ via its latest technology flagship, the Multimedia Supercorridor (MSC). The paper argues that, despite its resoluteness and investment in the project, the Malaysian state is unlikely to succeed in producing its high tech utopia. Rooted in a highly technocratic and managerial context, the Malaysian vision fails to account for the prevailing institutional forces impacting on, and impeding transformation in Malaysia.