PUCHONG, Aug 6 — Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari today said that the integrated circuit (IC) design park is not meant to compete with Penang’s semiconductor economy.
“Some of you may be wondering and asking the question: Why is Selangor attempting to compete in the semiconductor space?
“Make no mistake, it is a known fact that other states in Malaysia like Penang have had more than half-a-century headstart in the manufacturing of semiconductors. At this juncture, we don’t intend to compete because we do not have all our chips in one basket.
“Selangor’s economy is diverse, with a large share of services being the heartbeat of not only Selangor’s but Malaysia’s economy. But that is not to say that by starting small, we want to remain forever small,” he said in his speech during the launch of the Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park: Selangor Hub, here.
Former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan previously criticised the Penang government for losing the opportunity to host the IC design park to Selangor which led to the state losing investment opportunities.
However, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that high-tech companies that have shown an interest in Selangor’s IC design park are also in discussions to invest in Penang.
Amirudin said that the state government is taking advantage of the technological battles between the US and China by venturing into this industry.
“These microchips aren’t solely used in our mobile phones. There will soon be thousands of these chips in each vehicle, especially new automotive products using high-end ADAS systems and operating using electric power instead of fossil fuels.
“Generative AI is the preeminent trend of our times, and we haven’t even begun diving into the potential of quantum computing and the clean energy sector as the world unites around building a more resilient planet for our younger generation.
“On the other hand, I believe the battle between the two global giants, the US and China, will not only be about who has more military muscle, but who has a bigger role and intellectual property in the digital world. It will be a technological battle. And semiconductors will be the heartbeat of the global economy moving forward,” he said.
The Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park: Selangor Hub, which is the biggest in the Southeast Asia region, spanning 60,000 square feet and located in PFCC Puchong, was officially launched today.
The project is expected to bring in economic returns of RM500 million to RM1 billion.
