Anwar: Govt has secured more than RM63b investments through National Semiconductor Strategy as of March 2025
He said among the notable projects included Carsem's advanced packaging for energy efficiency, electric vehicle (EV), connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI); NXP's semiconductor products, Infineon's world's largest 200mm silicon carbide (SiC) power fab; Syntiant's MEMS microphone and sensors; and Plexus's manufacture and re-manufacture of printed circuit Boards.
On growing 10 semiconductor companies with revenue more than US$1 billion; and 100 with revenue more than RM1 billion, he said Malaysia now has at least 13 homegrown companies across the semiconductor value chain, emerging as potential national champions.
'Nine of them, including Carsem, Inari, Pentamaster, ViTrox, and Kelington, are each expected to generate over RM500 million in revenue this year. The other four are IC (integrated circuit) design and development firms with strong momentum, such as OppStar, SkyeChip, Infinecs, and Experior, each recording annual revenue growth above 25 percent.
'Fifty years from now, we want Malaysia to be able to look back at this moment as the tipping point when the country began grooming its very own Fortune 500 tech companies,' he said in his keynote address at the Asean Semiconductor Summit (ASEMIS) 2025 here today.
On the aim to create 60,000 engineers and given how tight the labour market is for skilled tech talent, the prime minister said CREST and HRD-Corp are entering into a collaboration to develop a robust tech talent pipeline for the semiconductor industry from 2025-2030. 'This is a key commitment under the NSS, for which our proposed allocation is RM1.2 billion over five years,' he noted.
Launched on May 28, 2024, the NSS is a government initiative designed to transform the country into a global powerhouse in the semiconductor industry. The strategy outlines a three-phase plan, backed by RM25 billion in fiscal support and targeted incentives. It aims to attract significant investments, develop local champions, and nurture a skilled workforce, and move Malaysia up the semiconductor value chain, focusing on integrated circuit design, advanced packaging, and manufacturing equipment.
Moving forward, Anwar said Malaysia is now ready to provide stronger backing for the NSS, particularly in growing the 10+100 national champions, which will focus on three key areas.
'We will unlock more catalytic capital to support early-stage research and development (R&D), product development, and ecosystem scaling. This includes a suite of targeted financing instruments, matching funds, and customised incentives, alongside continued investments by our government-linked investment companies (GLICs), all aimed at strengthening local semiconductor capabilities and advancing Malaysia's position in the global value chain,' he added.
To date, Anwar said the government has received commitments of more than RM2 billion in various forms to support the industry's development.
'This includes support by GLICs like Khazanah and KWAP (under the GEAR-uP initiative), Bank Negara Malaysia and through partnerships with global players. The government will also elevate its semiconductor diplomacy through deeper government-to-government cooperation, expanding market access for Malaysian firms and forging trusted technology partnerships.
'As Chair of Asean 2025, Malaysia will lead efforts to strengthen regional collaboration, positioning Asean as a resilient and competitive hub in the global semiconductor value chain,' he continued.
In strengthening the talent ecosystem via the CREST and HRD Corp initiative, Anwar said the government will also drive stronger collaboration across public, private, and academic institutions to build a future-ready and industry-relevant workforce. 'We will also intensify our R&D efforts through strategic collaboration between government, industry, and academia, ensuring Malaysia builds focused capabilities and remains competitive in a rapidly evolving, high-tech global landscape', he added. — Bernama
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