Selangor forms semiconductor task force as it aims to become global chip design hub in five years

SHAH ALAM, Jan 7 — The Selangor government has announced the establishment of the state Semiconductor Task Force, marking a significant step toward its goal of becoming a central hub for global chip design within the next five years, positioning the state at the forefront of the global semiconductor industry.

State Investment, Trade, and Mobility Committee chairman Ng Sze Han, who will lead the task force, said that the group will meet at least four times a year, to coordinate efforts across various facets of the industry, including supply chain dynamics, talent development, and strategic planning.

He said other members of the task force are Foxconn consultant Datuk Lai Yit Long; Khazanah Nasional chief information officer Datuk Hisham Hanidan; BlueChip VC founder and chairman Datuk Seri PY Lai; and The Hive Southeast Asia managing director Datuk Syed Haizam Jamalullail.

“Their extensive backgrounds, in pivotal roles within the supply chain, are crucial for propelling Selangor’s semiconductor ambitions forward.

“I am confident that their collective expertise will help streamline our efforts, accelerating Selangor’s rise as a leader in the semiconductor sector,” he said in a statement, today.

Ng explained that the task force’s strategic roadmap includes the development of four integrated circuit (IC) design parks within the next five years, aimed at attracting 25 to 30 top semiconductor firms, both local and international.

“These efforts are projected to generate approximately RM100 billion in export revenue and RM38 billion in potential income, thereby bolstering Malaysia’s stance in the global high-tech industry,” he said.

He also shared that the state aims to nurture the growth of five to eight unicorn-level IC design companies, further elevating Malaysia’s semiconductor industry to new heights.

Meanwhile, in the same statement, Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) chief executive officer, Yong Kai Ping, emphasised the readiness of the Advanced Semiconductor Academy of Malaysia (ASEM), to train up to 2,000 IC design engineers and 2,000 packaging engineers. — Bernama