KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is building an integrated circuit (IC) design hub in Selangor, touted to be the largest in Southeast Asia.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in announcing this, said works on the ground have already commenced.
"I am pleased to announce the largest IC Design Park in Southeast Asia, that will house world-class anchor tenants and collaborate with global companies such as ARM (Ltd).
"This is done with the backing of the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (SIDEC) with the Selangor state government, and is proof that momentum is already being built on the ground," he said in his speech at the launch of the inaugural KL20 Summit 2024 today.
In semiconductors, he said, Malaysia's substantial hold on the back-end has made it conducive to pursue high-value front-end work, chiefly in the IC design category.
ARM Ltd, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, specialises in providing intellectual property (IP) cores and related technologies for processors, the brains of modern electronic devices.
By licensing their designs to over 1,000 global partners such as Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung, ARM's energy-efficient technology plays a critical role in enabling the long battery life expected from smartphones and tablets.
Meanwhile, SIDEC said the project, strategically located on a 45,000 sq ft plot of land in Puchong, aimed to position Malaysia as a leader in the global IC design industry.
These collaborations will catalyse economic growth, create high-value jobs, and enhance local expertise in Malaysia, it said.
It said the initiative would not only strengthen Malaysia's global industry ties, but also boost innovation, skill development, and technological independence, contributing significantly to the nation's long-term economic resilience.
"Malaysia must quickly seize opportunities in chip design to move up the semiconductor value chain as competition intensifies.
"This initiative is not just about technological advancement but also about catalysing economic growth, creating high-value jobs, and enhancing Malaysia's expertise in high-tech industries," read the statement.
