KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — All states in Malaysia should play a role in the semiconductor industry, and the responsibility to uplift it should not be limited to one or two states, said Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (SIDEC) chief operating officer Loo Chuan Boon.
He said building the country’s semiconductor industry should be part of the national agenda.
“No single state builds a semiconductor industry alone. Penang brings decades of manufacturing depth. Selangor brings design, talent and capital.
“We need more ecosystems, manufacturing or other big players. We should put corporations where other states can bring in their own strengths to be utilised in land, energy and supply chains.
“Together, we make one nation-funded ecosystem, and that is how the world should see us,” he said in his keynote speech for the “Investment to Execution: Building the Talent and Operating Model Malaysia’s Semiconductor Boom Needs” talk at the Selangor Techsphere Summit here today.
On October 10, the Selangor government committed RM50 million to the National Strategic Investment Fund, joining Khazanah Nasional Bhd and the Penang government in a RM150 million initiative to accelerate the growth of Malaysian semiconductor and advanced technology companies.
Loo also said SIDEC is looking to bring local talent working abroad back home to contribute to the semiconductor industry.
“We are also talking to a lot of engineers who want to come back, so the upcoming plan is to reach out to a lot of talent.
“Those who are already at the senior engineer level working abroad in Taiwan or in Europe. We hope that they can come back. They see the opportunity; they see what Malaysia is offering,” he added.
Loo shared a success story involving France-based semiconductor company Weeroc, co-founded by a Malaysian who had spent 19 years working abroad, Dr Salleh Ahmad.
“Dr Salleh had been working in France and continued his studies until he obtained a PhD. During those years overseas, he saw no opportunities in Malaysia. Through the KL20 programme, he then learned about the Malaysia IC Park initiative.
“Following our discussions in Paris in 2025, he decided to return to Malaysia. His company now employs more than 18 engineers, many of whom are from UiTM (Universiti Teknologi MARA).
“This is a very encouraging outcome. He always says that if it had not been for this initiative, he might not have returned and could have continued working abroad,” Loo added.
