KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — The Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park has just been launched in Puchong, Selangor as the nation’s first chip design hub. Spanning 0.6 hectares, the development of the facility is one of the Malaysian government’s initiatives to move the nation up the value chain in the semiconductor business and is also part of the “Made by Malaysia” ambitions.
The Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park has been made into reality just three months after its development was announced during the KL20 Summit held in April. It has been set up in collaboration with the federal government, along with international semiconductor firms, and venture capitalists.
Malaysia to become a global chip design powerhouse
With the establishment of the new semiconductor IC design park, the government hopes to improve the nation’s chip design capabilities. This means going beyond just testing and packing, activities which are considered more fundamental and of lower value. This will hopefully make Malaysia a potential powerhouse in the global IC design industry and attract more foreign investments.
During the launch of the Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli mentioned that Malaysia needs to focus on developing its own semiconductor design, rather than solely relying on imported chips. The minister also talked about the federal government’s intention to enhance Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem as a whole.
The semiconductor ecosystem will cover both upstream and downstream sectors, with a heavy emphasis on original design manufacturers (ODM). With this ecosystem in place, data centres in Malaysia are expected to begin considering the “Made by Malaysia” chips.
Malaysia currently houses several chip packaging facilities for manufacturers such as Intel Corp, GlobalFoundaries Inc., and Infineon Technologies AG. This makes us a key regional hub in the global supply chain.
The ‘Made in Malaysia, Designed in Selangor’ dream
Aside from this, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said that Selangor will be playing a major role as well in growing the local semiconductor business. In the future, he hopes to see semiconductors bearing the label “Made in Malaysia, Designed in Selangor”.
Promoters of the new IC design park are currently recruiting candidates with degrees in electrical and electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, and computer science. Highly competitive salaries are also offered, ranging from RM5,000 to RM7,000.
Earlier this year, the government committed to invest a minimum of RM25 billion to grow Malaysia’s semiconductor industry. The industry is also looking to increase its exports by twofold to RM1.2 trillion, solidifying its position as the sixth-largest global chip exporter. — SoyaCincau
