Sarawak Moves To Complement Malaysia’s Semiconductor Ecosystem Through Strategic Industry Collaboration
KUCHING: Sarawak is moving to position itself as a strategic complement to Malaysia’s national semiconductor ecosystem, with a focus on value chain integration, talent development and closer alignment with federal industrial priorities.
The state’s ambitions were highlighted during a high-level engagement between the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED) Sarawak and Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science & Technology (CREST), aimed at exploring collaboration opportunities in the electrical and electronics (E&E) and semiconductor sectors.
The meeting brought together senior industry leaders and seasoned industrialists from across Malaysia’s semiconductor landscape, alongside representatives from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), signalling strong Federal–State coordination in advancing the national semiconductor agenda.
MINTRED Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Malcolm Mussen Lamoh said Sarawak’s approach is centred on complementing existing strengths within the country rather than competing with established hubs.
“Such collaboration can strengthen national supply-chain resilience while supporting more balanced regional development,” he said, adding that Sarawak has the potential to support Penang’s mature ecosystem through targeted, high-value manufacturing activities.
The engagement, facilitated by InvestSarawak and led by its chief executive officer Timothy Ong, also explored the creation of a strategic bridge between Penang’s established semiconductor cluster and Sarawak’s emerging industrial base, particularly in migrating selected segments of the value chain into more technology-intensive activities.
Led by CREST chief executive officer Jaffri Ibrahim, the delegation included Clarion Group chairman Tan Teong Khin, executive advisor Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John, and former board director Ang Hee Lai.
Clarion Group’s participation underscored the industry-led and execution-focused nature of the discussions.
Human capital development emerged as a key priority, with both parties examining industry-driven approaches to building a skilled, job-ready talent pipeline in Sarawak, including capabilities in integrated circuit design, advanced manufacturing and high-technology processes.
These initiatives are aligned with the Sarawak Semiconductor Roadmap 2030 and the Post-COVID Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, reinforcing the state’s push to embed itself within Malaysia’s broader semiconductor and E&E ecosystem while supporting long-term economic resilience. - UKASnews
