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Sustio, Simmtech’s First Large Scale Factory in Southeast Asia’s Construction Goes Full Steam Ahead in Penang

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KUALA LUMPUR, 30 DECEMBER 2021 – Simmtech, a South Korean- based global leading manufacturer for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and packaging substrate for semiconductors, is currently constructing its first large scale factory in Southeast Asia at Batu Kawan Industrial Park, Penang, Malaysia.

Despite the challenges due to the onset of Covid-19, the facility’s construction is right on track and scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2022. The factory will be manufacturing the region’s first packaging substrates for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) / NAND memory chips and High-Density Interconnect (HDI) PCB for memory module / Solid State Drive (SSD) devices and operations expected to commence in the second quarter next year.

“Given the supply constraint globally, it is absolutely critical that our Penang project goes full swing to manage the supply chain. With the synergistic support from the Federal government agencies especially Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the State government agencies, our greenfield project is chartering in lightning speed to ramp up capacity to our major customers in this region” said Mr. Jeffery Chun, the Managing Director at Simmtech Southeast Asia.

Dato’ Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA shared that “The Electrical and Electronics (E&E) manufacturing industry is rapidly evolving. More and more companies are demanding knowledge-intensive, hi-tech and innovative activities. MIDA is targeting more front-end and back-end semiconductor players as well as their supply chains to consider Malaysia as an alternative site for their production. MIDA welcomes Simmtech and their prospects in nurturing Malaysians to equip themselves with the technological skills for the current industry’s needs and beyond. We are confident that Simmtech will only stand to gain here in Malaysia.”

The project will be invested via its Malaysian subsidiary, Sustio Sdn. Bhd. with the total investment of RM508 million benefitting local businesses with opportunities to be integrated in the global value chain. The new factory in Penang are anticipated to create more than 1,000 high-skilled jobs in engineering, manufacturing and quality management, by the first half of 2022. Furthermore, through the new substrate and PCB factory, Malaysia’s robust ecosystem as a hub for advanced manufacturing will be strengthened, while serving as an important link in driving the global semiconductor value chain. Amidst a depleted supply of chips globally, the steady surge in demand for high-performance computing and memory products catalysed the customers to design co-development programmes with Simmtech to get the products from the newly certified facility, and successfully multiply mass production in the shortest turnover time.

Mr. Chun added, “With this co-development programme with our key customers, we are confident that our project will not only be completed in time and primed for the market, but also be ready for production at full capacity as soon as we commence operations next year.” As one of the world’s largest players in the semiconductor industry, the Penang factory serving as a manufacturing plant for the region’s first packaging substrates will position Simmtech as a differentiator from our competitors, thereby jumpstarting the dynamics of global chips shortage.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

About Simmtech

Since its establishment in 1987, Simmtech has been focusing on developing and manufacturing high-layer PCB for semiconductors. Equipped with its world best manufacturing competitiveness accumulated throughout the years, Simmtech produces the most advanced PCB to the semiconductor global leaders. The major products by Simmtech include module PCB for semiconductors’ memory expansion and substrates for packaging semiconductor chip.

Simmtech is leading the technology evolution as a core supplier for package substrate to Tier-1 semiconductor customers. Notably, the company’s memory module PCB, BOC boards for DRAM package and Embedded Trace Substrate were awarded “World Class Products” by the Korean Government with the largest market share in the world. Simmtech went public in 2000 at Korea stock exchange market and is expected to reach 1.2 billion USD sales revenue this year.

For more information, please contact:

MIDA
Ms. Azlina Hamdan
Director, E&E Division, MIDA
+603-2267 3791| [email protected]

Simmtech Southeast Asia
Ms. Michelle Chun
Office Manager
+65 8940 3088 |
[email protected]

Sustio, Simmtech’s First Large Scale Factory in Southeast Asia’s Construction Goes Full Steam Ahead in Penang

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Kuala Lumpur, 23 December 2021 – Malaysia has attracted a total of RM177.8 billion approved investments in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors, involving 3,037 projects in January to September 2021. This represents an outstanding 51.5 per cent increase compared to the same period last year and is expected to generate 79,899 jobs in the country.

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry shared that “The country’s stellar performance is indeed a testament to investors’ strong confidence in Malaysia as a preferred investment hub, particularly our conducive business ecosystem in providing high-skilled talents and having strong readiness in advanced technology. This, in turn, further bolsters our role as a prominent site in global companies’ manufacturing networks, enhancing Malaysia’s position as a pioneering, renowned investment destination in the region.”

The manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of the total investments for the period, amounting to RM103.9 billion (58.4%), followed by the services sector with RM57.8 billion (32.5%) and the primary sector with RM16.1 billion (9.1%).

Foreign direct investments (FDI) accounted for nearly 60 per cent of approved investments, valued at RM106.1 billion. Singapore, China, Austria, Japan and the Netherlands were the top five (5) foreign investment sources contributing to nearly 85.3 per cent or RM90.6 billion of the total approved FDI in the country.

While FDI lead the approved investments in the manufacturing sector investments from local companies dominated in the services and primary sectors. Domestic direct investments (DDI) totaled RM71.7 billion or 40.3 per cent of the total approved investments.

Five states – Kedah, Sarawak, W.P. Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Pahang contributed RM134.8 billion (75.8%) to the total approved investments in various sectors.

Manufacturing Sector

A total of 522 manufacturing projects worth RM103.9 billion were approved in the period of January to September 2021, compared to RM64.8 billion in the same period last year, which translates to more than 60 per cent increase.

FDI drove the strong performance of the manufacturing sector during the period soaring by 133.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2020, accounting for 88.3 per cent or RM91.7 billion of the approved investments within the sector. The remaining RM12.2 billion (11.7%) approved investments in the sector were from domestic sources.

In terms of top-performing industries in January to September 2021, the electrical and electronics (E&E) (RM64.3 billion), fabricated metal products (RM14.0 billion), rubber products (RM5.4 billion), basic metal products (RM5.2 billion), food manufacturing (RM4.6 billion), chemicals and chemical products (RM4.1 billion), scientific and measuring equipment (RM2.1 billion) and transport equipment (RM980.8 million) made up 96.8 per cent of total approved investments for the manufacturing sector.

The Senior Minister highlighted Malaysia is focusing on pursuing more high quality, capital-intensive projects and those that support the sustainable development agenda of the nation. “Supporting our nation’s Shared Prosperity Vision (SPV) 2030 and our Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMK12), we have been securing new investments that align well Malaysia’s National Investment Aspirations (NIA) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. This is reflected by the increasing number of capital-intensive projects approved by MIDA in January to September 2021,” he added.

The capital investment per employee (CIPE) ratio of the projects approved during the period increased to RM1,736,420 from RM1,276,071 compared to the same period last year.

From these approved investments, the workforce required include 2,923 managerial positions and 10,207 technical professionals such as engineers in the field of E&E, mechanical, chemical and other disciplines, reflecting the higher value chain transition of the manufacturing sector. The approved manufacturing projects will also require 7,907 skilled craftsmen such as plant maintenance supervisors, tools and die makers, machinists, IT personnel, quality controllers, electricians and welders.

Notable projects approved during the period include AT&S, an Austrian company and global leader of high-end printed circuit boards (PCB) and integrated circuit (IC) substrates that has chosen Malaysia for its first production plant in the region. The company’s RM8.5 billion investment in Kulim, Kedah looks to tap into the country for its manufacturing operation and R&D activities. This will further boost Malaysia’s domestic E&E ecosystem, creating high-tech jobs for Malaysians and opportunities for local vendors.

Nexperia Malaysia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexperia BV (Netherlands) which is among the leading players in the high-volume production of essential semiconductors and components that are utilised in a variety of electronic designs, will also be expanding its operations in Negeri Sembilan by investing in building, equipment and automation. This will provide potential job opportunity of 700 skilled workers over time to man and maintain automated production lines, underscoring Malaysia’s local talent capability and mature E&E supply chain that supports companies’ long-term growth.

Japan-based Taiyo Yuden also announced an investment of RM680 million for the expansion of its multilayer ceramic capacitors production in Kuching, Sarawak. This is to meet the growing demands of their clients in ASEAN.

Services Sector

The first nine months of 2021 saw the approval of 2,473 services projects with approved investments of RM57.8 billion. These projects are expected to create 19,731 jobs once implemented.

Domestic investments dominated those approved within the sector, making up RM46.9 billion or 81.1 per cent, while the remainder RM10.9 billion are from foreign sources.

The real estate sub-sector remained the largest contributor with RM20.1 billion; whereby global establishments, financial services, hotel and tourism as well as transport services have also recorded increases during the period.

Notably, the approved investments for global establishments saw a significant jump in approved investment from the corresponding period last year with RM9.2 billion. A total of 83 projects proposing to make Malaysia their regional or global operations hubs were approved during the period of January to September 2021. These activities, which are expected to create new jobs for 3,760 knowledge-based or highly technical skilled workers, will also position Malaysia on course for greater integration into the global supply chain.

Primary Sector

The primary sector contributed RM16.1 billion or 9.1 per cent to the total approved investments in January to September 2021, a 827 per cent jump from the corresponding period last year.

The mining subsector dominated with approved investments of RM16.0 billion, followed by plantation and commodities with RM84.8 million and agriculture at RM11.5 million. These investments are expected to create 304 jobs in the country.

Investments from domestic sources made up the bulk of the approvals with a total amount of RM12.6 billion or 78.3 per cent, while foreign investments contributed RM3.5 billion or 21.7 per cent.

The Government is fully committed to ensure sustainable recovery and equitable economic growth for our Keluarga Malaysia. MIDA, under the guidance of MITI, continuously strives to ensure the nation and the rakyat are the ultimate beneficiaries of the investments brought into the country. Looking towards 2022, the Government has lined-up strategic and focused trade and investment missions targeted to capture investments in high technology, innovation and research-driven industries that will complement the Malaysian industrial ecosystem.

This will build upon the 523 projects with proposed investments of RM37.2 billion in the manufacturing and services sectors that are within MIDA’s pipeline as of 10 December 2021.

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About MIDA

For media enquiries, please contact:

Fatmah Ahmad (Ms)

Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 2428

Malaysia Records Outstanding RM177.8 Billion Approved Investments in Jan-Sept 2021

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 22 December 2021 – DSR Taiko Berhad (DSR), Malaysia’s first integrated durian specialist is embarking on its international expansion by bringing the homegrown Musang King durian specialities to the global stage, starting with 15 countries in early 2022. Going under the D.MasKing brand, DSR will distribute its in-house developed durian specialities to these countries including People’s Republic of China, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Singapore and South Africa, through its Daily Fresh outlets. This long-term strategic plan was highlighted during the launching of D.Masking’s second flagship store in Lot 10, Bukit Bintang.

DSR is a fully integrated orchard-to-market durian player with extensive knowledge in the upstream orchard management. The Company’s dynamic capabilities are the testament of its strategic alliance with Daily Fresh’s know-how in product development, state-of-the-art facilities as well as its wide distribution networks which enables them to grow their business to the next level.

Dato’ Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), expressed, “One of MIDA’s ethos is to be an effective conduit for product development efforts by Malaysian companies, starting from seeding their research and development (R&D) right up to spurring commercialisation and marketing reach in the domestic and international markets. MIDA via the Domestic Investment Coordination Platform (DICP) has successfully assisted many SMEs and local businesses including DSR to pursue their business plans by providing the missing link between businesses, funding, technology and research capability. We are proud to play a role in facilitating an all-win scenario that would be the pride of the nation.”

During the launching, DSR has also exchanged a Project Agreement with SIRIM Tech Venture, a subsidiary of SIRIM Berhad, to develop SIRIM industry standards on Musang King, one of the most popular breeds of durian via Musang King Integrated Tracking System (MKITS) for the product traceability enhancement. Further to that, the development of the system would involve various entities such as PERKESO and University Research Centres, and upon completion will be used as the ‘gold’ standard for the industry. The collaboration is expected to spur job creation as well as develop new skillsets in agriculture best practices. DSR anticipates to leverage on the incentives available to provide on-the-job trainings for employees to encourage new knowledge creation.

Dato’ Dr Ahmad Sabirin Arshad, President and Group Chief Executive of SIRIM Berhad, commented, “Establishing a quality standard for agriculture facilitates three important steps for future industry development, by setting a base line, enabling product quality enhancements in a meaningful and quantifiable manner, and replicating the system to scale up the operations.”

“We are pleased to pioneer this standard for Musang King in partnership with DSR to raise the industry benchmarks for Musang King plantations in Malaysia. I believe this would also advocate sustainable agriculture practices, by inculcating a discipline in plantation owners to utilise responsible farming methods towards achieving steady growth in the coming years,” added Dato’ Dr Ahmad Sabirin.

Dato’ Ng Lian Poh, Chief Executive Officer of DSR Taiko Berhad remarked, “Thus far, the durian industry has mostly exported durian fruits. DSR is now taking it a step further to enhance fresh durians’ added value by developing unique specialty products. We are grateful to collaborate with key government agencies to bring Malaysia’s distinctive taste to the world. With the support of MIDA, we are aggressively undertaking R&D and opening up new overseas markets via Daily Fresh’s existing outlets to entice global palates. This would help us tap into the potential of the immense downstream durian products market.”

“In addition, our partnership with SIRIM Tech Venture will enable us to develop a holistic orchards-to-consumer (O2C) business solutions to develop inaugural industry standards for Musang King durians, as well as Musang King Integrated Tracking Systems (MKITS) to enhance product traceability. This is in line with our motto where ‘Origin Matters’ and is a perfect public and private partnership to raise the standards of the durian plantation industry to authenticate the Malaysian-made king of fruits.”

Dato’ Ng concluded, “This journey that we are embarking on will be a long one — akin to the duration a durian tree takes to grow – but we are looking forward to making this particular king of fruits species the pride of Malaysia across the world. We are confident that this growth in the agriculture industry will continue to boost the nation’s economy.”

DSR’s new store would offer specialty durian products such as durian pizza, durian truffle popcorn, Musang King gelato, as well as Musang King gelato filled confectionery in croissants, puffs, waffles and tarts. To further enhance its global appeal, the Company will also participate in the World Expo 2020 which is tentatively scheduled to be held in Dubai in February 2022 to showcase its downstream durian products internationally. DSR also aims to increase the coverage to more than 300 Daily Fresh outlets nationwide in 2022.

Present at the launch were YBhg. Dato’ Arham Abdul Rahman, CEO of MIDA, YBhg. Dato’ Dr Ahmad Sabirin, Group President and Chief Executive of SIRIM Berhad, Mr. Ajmain Bin Kasim, CEO of SIRIM Technology Sdn Bhd, Mr Ng Soh Kian, Executive Chairman of DSR, Dato’ Ng Lian Poh, CEO of DSR, and Mr. Chay Hong Choong, Managing Director of Daily Fresh Foods Group.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the government’s principal promotion agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Starting operations in 1967 with a relatively small set up of 37 staff, MIDA has grown to become an active and dynamic organisation of over 700 employees. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA today has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About SIRIM Berhad

A wholly-owned company of the Malaysian Government under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, SIRIM Berhad is a leading organisation for technology and quality solutions specialising in: Industrial Research, Technology Development and Commercialisation; Certification, Testing and Inspection; Measurement and Calibration; Training; Standards Research and Development; Technology-based Entrepreneurship; and Design Advisory.

About DSR Taiko Berhad (www.dsrfruits.com)

DSR stands for ‘Durian Sudah Runtuh’, denoting a ripe durian and a Malay euphemism for windfall earnings.

DSR is Asia’s first fully integrated orchard-to-market durian player. Established since 2017, DSR’s durian plantation in Raub, Pahang encompasses over 3,800 durian trees, of which majority are authentic Raub Musang King durians.

DSR Daily Fresh Sdn Bhd combines DSR’s durian orchard management expertise with Daily Fresh’s know-how in product development, state-of-the-art facilities, and wide distribution networks internationally. The partnership develops and produces fresh Musang King durian-based products, to be distributed to all Daily Fresh kiosks in Malaysia and overseas, as well as DSR’s own flagship store D.MasKing.

DSR Daily Fresh will make it more accessible for consumers to enjoy durian products all year round and ensure a constant income stream for durian orchard owners.

DSR’s partnership with key government agencies such as MIDA and SIRIM Tech Venture opens a new horizon to promote and create value for Musang King durian products across the globe. With advanced technology being incorporated in agriculture practices, this will further support the sustenance of Musang King plantations in Malaysia.

For more information, please contact:

MIDA
Mr. Sukri Abu Bakar
Director of Domestic Investment Division
Tel.: +603- 2267 3685
Email: [email protected]

SIRIM
Ms. Amalia Hasannudin
Public relations/strategic communication
Tel.: 017 3096519
Email: [email protected]

DSR TAIKO BERHAD
Aquilas Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

Ms. Julia Pong
Tel.: +603- 27111391 / +6012-3909 258
Email: [email protected]

Ms. Stephanie Wee
Tel.: +603- 27111391 / +6017-3772 816
Email: [email protected]

DSR to Bring Homegrown Durian Specialities to Global Stage

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Kuala Lumpur, 9 December 2021 — Nexperia Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexperia BV (Netherlands) will be expanding its presence in Malaysia with the groundbreaking ceremony of its latest facility in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan today.

“By 2026, Nexperia Malaysia is looking to invest an additional RM1.6 billion for building, equipment and automation in Malaysia. This will also provide an opportunity for us to hire 700 more skilled workers over time to man and maintain automated production lines. We are committed to growing our operations here to meet our clients’ demands for our products,” announced Mr. Harith Abdullah, Vice President of Nexperia Malaysia.

The Netherland-headquartered global semiconductor manufacturer is among the leading players in the high-volume production of essential semiconductors and components that are utilised in a variety of electronic designs. Its extensive product-portfolio includes diodes, transistors, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices as well as analog and logic integrated circuits.

The company’s new 4-storey building will feature 11,000 sqm of clean room space. With 20,000 sqm’s worth of build-up space, the facility will house a fully automated raw material warehouse and is anticipated to be operational by mid-2022.

YAB Dato’ Seri Haji Aminuddin Harun, Chief Minister of Negeri Sembilan said in his speech, “Nexperia Malaysia’s decision to continue expanding its operations in Negeri Sembilan is a testament to the nation’s comprehensive electrical and electronics (E&E) ecosystem, underscoring our local talent’s capability and developing a supply chain that supports long-term growth. This is a significant step forward for Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem. We are proud to be associated with Nexperia Malaysia in driving the Malaysians to be part of the global semiconductor supply chain. Additionally, this investment will ultimately generate employment.”

Dato’ Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) applauded Nexperia’s move to ramp up its chip production in Malaysia, “Nexperia benefits from establishing their footprint in Malaysia, further strengthening their operations in Negeri Sembilan by producing more complex products. With the global chip shortage, we are confident Malaysia will continue to be a desirable E&E location for global companies. We look forward to seeing Nexperia rise up to be among the catalytic investors contributing towards the development of the state’s E&E cluster, creating more opportunities for Malaysians which aligns with the main pillars of our National Investment Aspiration (NIA).”

Notably, Nexperia’s new automated warehouse will triple the company’s storage capacity in comparison to its current warehouse system. The production floor will also be fully automated with Industry 4.0 standards to support its growth on essential power products for the automotive industry.

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About MIDA

About Nexperia Malaysia

Nexperia is a leading expert in the high-volume production of essential semiconductors, components that are required by every electronic design in the world. The company’s extensive portfolio includes diodes, bipolar transistors, ESD protection devices, MOSFETs, GaN FETs and analog & logic ICs. Focused on efficiency, Nexperia produces consistently reliable semiconductor components at high volume: more than 90 billion annually. The company’s extensive portfolio meets the stringent standards set by the automotive industry. The industry-leading small packages, produced in the company’s manufacturing facilities, combine power and thermal efficiency with best-in-class quality levels. Built on over half a century of expertise, Nexperia has over 12,000 employees across Asia, Europe and the U.S. supporting customers globally.

For more information or media queries, please contact:

Ms. Azlina Hamdan
Director of Electrical & Electronics Division, MIDA
azlina @mida.gov.my | +603-2267 3791

Mr. Raymond Chan
Financial Controller, Nexperia Malaysia
[email protected] | +6012 320 7154

Mr. Muhammad Hilman
Human Resource Director, Nexperia Malaysia
[email protected] I +6016 394 0581

Nexperia Malaysia to Ramp Up Chip Production with New Production Facility in Negeri Sembilan

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Malaysia, Johor, 2 December 2021 – Bridge Data Centres, one of the region’s key data centre service providers headquartered in Singapore has announced the construction of its fourth hyperscale data centre (MY06), the largest of its kind in Johor, Malaysia. This will involve an investment value of RM2.5 billion over the next 5 years. A subsidiary of Chindata Group, Bridge has set Phase 1 of the project to be in place by end of 2022 with Phase 2 expected to be in completion shortly thereafter. The Bridge Data Center (BDC) development strategy aims to connect all Chindata Group data centres using dark fiber connectivity, linking with the Malaysian Cable Landing Station to increase the reach of global connection.

“We are proud to be able to continue our expansion journey in Malaysia. This hyperscale campus with three buildings, marks our commitment to scalable and reliable solutions and comes with massive hiring and investment opportunities within the industry,” said Lim Dz Shing, President of Bridge Data Centres.

Approximately located on 40 acres of land area, the hyperscale campus will operate at a combined capacity of 100 MW IT load located strategically within Kidex Sedenak, the jewel component of the larger 7,290 acres of the Sedenak Technology Valley.

YBhg. Dato’ Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) said, “The data center space is economically significant to Malaysia’s transformation towards an advanced digital nation, paving the way for modern businesses. The Digital First Programme, with the goal of increasing the use of cloud computing in the public sector announced as part of Budget 2022, signifies the need of data centers as the key to digital transformation.”

“MIDA is excited to see BDC’s commitment to fortify its presence in Malaysia. It is a strong testimony and confidence in the country’s position to become a regional data centre hub. MIDA and MDEC, through the Digital Investment Office, which role is to attract and facilitate all digital investments in Malaysia, in line with MyDigital Blueprint and National Investment Aspirations (NIA) will continue our effort in transforming new and existing economic clusters as digital enablers, create high income jobs and encourage digital upskilling of the local workforce and businesses.” added Dato’ Arham.

Ts. Mahadhir Aziz, CEO of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) remarked, “The establishment of this hyperscale campus is not only a testament to Malaysia’s strength as the digital hub of ASEAN, but also to the country’s perpetual efforts in driving a progressive and inclusive digital economy. The new campus will benefit the people through the creation of new jobs and towards accelerating emerging technology adoption, while showcasing Malaysia’s capabilities and capacities in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). We would like to thank Bridge Data Centres for their continued confidence and support of Malaysia’s digital economy.”

In accordance with the Malaysian Government’s nationwide aspiration to achieve 50 percent of the cloud adoption through cloud data centres for 5G adoption by 2024, BDC is committed to invest in the growing data centre economy that is expected to grow significantly in this region.

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About MIDA

MIDA is the Government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube channel.

About MDEC

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) is the agency under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia leading the nation’s digital transformation for 25 years. MDEC’s agenda is Malaysia 5.0, enabling a nation deeply integrated with technology, providing equitable digital opportunities to the people and businesses. In order to achieve this, we will focus on four key DIGITAL thrusts, New skills, Adoption, Disruptors and Investments. This forms the basis of our NADI Digital brand campaign that will drive our core programmes for the rakyat, business and investors. MDEC’s aim is for Malaysia to become a globally competitive digital nation, anchored on inclusivity, sustainability and shared prosperity, firmly establishing Malaysia as the Heart of Digital ASEAN. To find out more about MDEC’s Digital Economy initiatives, please visit us at www.mdec.my or follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyMDEC/ Twitter: @mymdec

About Bridge Data Centres

A subsidiary of NASDAQ-listed Chindata Group, Bridge Data Centres is one of the largest Data Centre companies in the region, providing hyperscale and wholesale data center solutions. Headquartered in Singapore, Bridge Data Centres will be operating 156+ MW of IT capacity across India and Malaysia. Offering a full range of innovative and transformative solutions for businesses looking to grow their reach and revenue in emerging markets and are committed to attaining carbon neutrality by 2030 as announced by Chindata Group. For more details, please visit bridgedatacentres.com.

For more information or media queries, please contact:

MIDA

Business Services and Regional Operations, MIDA
Ms. Rosedalina Ramlan
Email : [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 3515

MDEC

Digital Investment Division, MDEC
Mr. Razif Abdul Aziz
Email : [email protected] | DL: +603-8315 3111

Bridge Data Centres

W. Media on behalf of Bridge Data Centres
Mr. Justin Heyes
Email: [email protected] | DL: +60 11 6418 2724

Bridge Data Centres Announces Construction Of Its Fourth Hyperscale Data Centre Campus In Johor, Malaysia

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Kuala Lumpur, 29 November 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), in collaboration with Intel Malaysia and the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), successfully organised a virtual launching of the Intel Artificial Intelligence for Universities (AI4U) Programme today. The event is a continuation of Intel’s pilot Artificial Intelligence for SMEs (AI4S) Programme, launched earlier in January 2021.

The AI4U Programme is an initiative that is set out to introduce an ‘AI-based machine vision’ to the university community. Parallel to the Malaysian Government’s aspirations of preparing the country and its youths for the future, the programme supports the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP) to advance digital economy, normalise digitalisation for inclusive development, accelerate Research, Development, Commercialisation and Innovation, as well as to capitalise on emerging technologies.

As a commitment under the recently tabled Budget 2022 to improve the quality of education, the AI4U Programme is a testament to Intel Malaysia’s continuous commitment in bridging the gap between the needs of the industry and the supply of young local talents. This is expected to benefit young graduates and the underprivileged further through technical and vocational education and training.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Sivasuriyamoorthy Sundara Raja, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Investment Promotion and Facilitation, MIDA, emphasised the importance of cultivating an ‘AI mindset’ among university graduates, especially those without a background in computer science. Effectively, the programme is expected to shatter the traditional notion that AI is only for ‘techies’.

“I am confident that this initiative developed by MIDA, Intel and MPC will serve as a catalyst to the local universities and education centres in proactively creating a new generation of AI-savvy Malaysians who are primed to propel the nation towards achieving Industry 4.0,” he said.

Mr. Sivasuriyamoorthy further expressed his hopes that the AI4U Programme will also inspire other MNCs in Malaysia to emulate Intel’s goodwill in contributing back to the talent ecosystem in Malaysia, not only on the prospects of increasing talent capabilities overall but the enhancing of their own value proposition as well.

MIDA has stepped up its efforts in preparing local talents for future jobs, sharpening the country’s competitive edge to become the preferred investment destination. Being the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency, MIDA has been collaborating with academic institutions, policymakers, and industry players to undertake initiatives that will drive the right skilling and continuous technology grading of the local talents.

To drive this is Intel, a leader in artificial intelligence solutions, specialising in both software and hardware. The renowned company has a well-documented passion towards connecting its partners together in technology and knowledge exchanges, thus aiding in the development of the local manufacturing ecosystem in Malaysia. Intel will be supporting the programme by laying the groundwork for these modules to be executed, including training to the lecturers.

“The AI4U programme is yet another collaborative initiative between Intel, MIDA and MPC to prepare our future workforce for the AI world, after the launch of the AI for SMEs (A14S) and AI for Youth (AI4Y) programs. It has been inspiring to work together with MIDA and MPC to address the AI gap in Malaysia, and through programs such as AI4U, we hope to bring AI technology and knowledge to all students regardless of their specialisation, as part of our overall goal of equipping a wider segment of the population with AI skills”, Aik Kean (AK) Chong, the Managing Director of Intel Malaysia commented.

At the enterprise, sectoral and national levels, the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) has organised programmes aimed at catering to the country’s needs for highly-skilled and well-trained human capital. This is to steer a new workforce generation towards higher-value and knowledge-based activities, subsequently fulfilling the nation’s aspiration to become an advanced economy.

YBhg. Dato’ Abdul Latif Hj. Abu Seman, Director General of MPC, said along with MIDA & Intel, this AI4U program is a follow-up program from the success of our AI Machine Vision for SMEs, also known as AI4S. As the Operational Partner of this AI4U Project, MPC will be managing the entire training process with technical support from Intel.

“With the introduction of AI4U program, MPC is confident that the academic community will gain as much knowledge as possible on AI-based machine vision technologies and its applications. MPC is delighted to be a part of this program together with MIDA and Intel Malaysia,” added Dato’ Latif.

This launch featured a line-up of 5 public and private universities namely, Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) and Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU). These institutions were awarded with Intel’s AI Kits needed to establish their respective AI Labs and will serve to empower students of all faculties to learn and adopt AI-based machine vision systems.

The representatives of each university, from chancellors to presidents and deans, welcomed the programme, citing not only how it will benefit their respective institutions but the prospects of raising an AI-conscious generation. Considering the normalisation of AI across multiple industries, the universiti representatives expressed their confidence that the AI4U programme is the way forward for Malaysian youths and their gratitude for being the institutions chosen to partake in the programme.

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About Intel

Intel Malaysia was the first offshore site for Intel Corporation, with more than RM22 billion invested since 1972. Today, Intel Malaysia employs more than 12,000 employees including the country’s largest design and development centre and one of only two Intel shared services hubs supporting HR, Finance, Procurement, IT, and Supply Chain operations to Intel sites globally. Intel Malaysia is also Intel’s largest assembly and test manufacturing site that produces Intel’s latest products utilizing smart manufacturing techniques.

About Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)

Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) is a statutory body under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). MPC promotes productivity, quality and competitiveness to the industries and organisations in Malaysia. MPC’s vision is to be the leading organisation in productivity enhancement for global competitiveness and innovation.

About Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

For more information or media queries, please contact:

Intel
Tripti Dahiya (Ms.)
PR Manager – Southeast Asia
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +65 84366612

MIDA
Aizah Abdullah (Ms.)
Industry Talent Management and Expatriate MIDA
Email: [email protected] Tel: 03-2267 3529

Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)
Lee Wan Wei (Ms.)
Productivity & Competitiveness Development
Email: [email protected] Tel: 03-7955 7266

Intel Artificial Intelligence For Universities (AI4U) Programme Empowers Tertiary Students With Future-Ready AI Capabilities

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Kuala Lumpur 24 November 2021 — Turkish Aerospace opened its new office at the Cyberview Futurise campus in Selangor, Malaysia today. This is the company’s first engineering and design office in Southeast Asia.

Turkish Aerospace will continue its investments and collaborations in Malaysia for the development of new generation technologies, particularly in the field of defense industry and aviation. As one of the leading companies in the global aviation industry, it has expanded its reach further by establishing more than 10 technology offices around the world.

In this collaboration, Turkish and Malaysian engineers will work in the new office to carry out joint studies in a variety of areas which includes unmanned aerial vehicles, jet trainers, helicopter projects, and modernisation programmes for the global aviation ecosystem.

Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who officiated the opening, said: “The opening of Turkish Aerospace’s first engineering and design office in Malaysia is opportune for us to look at how we can synergise our joint expertise to secure workflow for the benefit of the Turkish and Malaysian aerospace industry. Turkey has one of the fastest developing defence and aerospace sectors in the world and has achieved many firsts for the Muslim world.”

The Senior Minister also said that the bilateral linkages between Malaysia and Turkey have continued to grow from strength to strength, noting that talks between Malaysia and Turkey on the expansion of FTA have made substantial progress.

Echoing the Senior Minister, Dato’ Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) shared, “Turkish Aerospace’s footprint in Malaysia will enhance Malaysia’s aerospace ecosystem, which has the right value proposition for the company to expand its presence in ASEAN and beyond, particularly in the manufacturing and high-end services sector. The competitive cost of doing business in Malaysia will undoubtedly be beneficial for both parties to raise the nation’s local expertise as well as certification status.”

Expressing his views on the newly opened office, Turkish Aerospace’s CEO and President, Prof. Temel Kotil said, “With the engineers we will employ, we will strengthen the ties between the two countries and host important studies for Malaysia and Turkey to develop joint projects in the field of aviation, space and defense. We aim to expand our experience in these fields within the scope of joint projects with Malaysia and to strengthen the global aviation industry, especially in our regions. I hope our newly opened office in Malaysia will be beneficial in raising the relations between the two countries, and I would like to thank my friends for their efforts.”

Dr. Merve Kavakcı, Turkish Ambassador to Malaysia, said: “I hope that the physical presence of the Turkish Aerospace, one of the leading companies in our country in aerospace and defence will be mutually beneficial for the relations between our two countries. We are pleased to see that Turkish defense industry companies are engaged in many solid cooperation projects in different parts of the world. In fact, today’s opening is a good example of this. We have strong political and commercial relations with Malaysia. We are resolutely seeking for further progress through new collaborations in the field of defense industry. Malaysia is our largest trading and strategic partner in Southeast Asia. Just like our country, it is located in a very strategic position. Today’s opening demonstrates that Turkish companies are confident about strong, stable and prosperous Malaysia.”

The Malaysian Government will continue to focus on attracting high-quality investments within the aerospace industry. As per the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP), being the leading aerospace nation in Southeast Asia is one of the country’s focuses, serving a broader objective of achieving Malaysia’s National Investment Aspirations (NIA) and Sustainable Development Goals.

As of June 2021, a total of 13 manufacturing projects with Turkish participation have been approved with total investments of RM510.4 million.

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About MIDA

About Turkısh Aerospace

Turkish Aerospace is the center of technology in design, development, manufacturing, integration of aerospace systems, modernisation and after sales support in Turkey. Located in Ankara, Turkish Aerospace production plant covers an area of 4 million square meters with an industrial facility of 640,000 square meters under its roof. The company has a modern aircraft facility furnished with high technology machinery and equipment that provide extensive manufacturing capabilities ranging from parts manufacturing to aircraft assembly, flight tests and delivery.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Zahirul Ishak (Mr)
Director of Transport Technology Division, MIDA
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 6621

Gokhan Timurhan (Mr)
Chief of Digital and Media Relations
Email: [email protected] | [email protected]

Turkish Aerospace Opens New Office In Malaysia, Further Strengthening Investments And Collaborations In The Nation’s Aviation Industry

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Kuala Lumpur, 11 November 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in which both parties will collaborate to promote technology adoption and global best practices among Malaysian construction industry players in order to raise the standards and competitiveness of the sector.

The MoU signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA, Dato’ Arham Abdul Rahman, and the Chief Executive (CE) of CIDB, Datuk Ir. Ahmad ‘Asri Abdul Hamid commits for cooperative engagement for the next 5 years. It aims to strengthen the Construction 4.0 Strategic Plan, in-line with the Wawasan Kemakmuran Bersama (WKB) 2030 and the National Policy on Industry 4.0 (Industry4WRD). The MoU will also see both parties cooperating to enhance the areas of policy development and advocacy; research and development, training, and promotion of Industrialised Building Systems (IBS); Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) and Construction Revolution 4.0 (CR4.0) technologies; green initiatives and building materials quality; as well as investment promotion in relevant sectors.

Dato’ Arham remarked, “Both MIDA and CIDB have entered a new cooperative partnership with the signing of an additional Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to maximise production output, increase investments, improve quality, and practise sustainability in the manufacturing, services and construction sectors.”

“We aim to assist the construction industry to increase the use of IBS through digitisation and adopt industry 4.0 technology, apart from adhering to construction material standards compliance in Malaysia. Industries are encouraged to work on sustainable practices of environmental, social and governance (ESG) towards enhancing Malaysia’s competitiveness. We are here to advise on IBS incentives, green initiatives and building materials compliance, research and development, training, and promotion efforts.” added Dato’ Arham.

“CIDB is looking forward to collaborating with MIDA as our strategic partner to enhance the adoption of IBS, IR4.0, CR4.0, and sustainability including ESG, as we have a common purpose of raising the Malaysian construction industry’s quality and competitiveness to be on par globally,” said Datuk Ir. Ahmad ‘Asri Abdul Hamid, CE of CIDB.

The MOU was signed during the ‘CR4.0 Conference 2021’ with the theme “Building Construction Landscape through Big Data Supply Chain”, held virtually in conjunction with the annual International Construction Week (ICW2021) and ASEAN Super 8 from 9 to 11 November 2021. The conference, launched by YB Dato’ Sri Haji Fadilah Bin Haji Yusof, Senior Minister of Works, was attended by 300 participants with 15 speakers, panellists and moderators from industry players, academicians, researchers, and students throughout the Southeast Asia region.

In the recent 5 years, MIDA has approved a total of 56 IBS projects for manufacturing license valuing at RM4.5 billion in investments with 4,521 in employment opportunities including skilled positions for engineers, specialised quality controllers and highly skilled technicians.

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About MIDA

About CIDB Malaysia

The Construction Industry Development Board was established under the Construction Industry Development Act (Act 520) to develop the capacity and capability of the construction industry through enhancement of quality and productivity by placing great emphasis on professionalism, innovation and knowledge in the endeavor to improve the quality of life.

Media contact:

MIDA
Ms. Najihah Abas
Director of Building Technology and Lifestyle Division, MIDA
Tel.: 03- 2267 6717
Email: [email protected]

CIDB Malaysia
Ms. Noryani Ismail
General Manager
Corporate Communication Division
CIDB Malaysia
Tel.: 03-4047 7027
Email: [email protected]

MIDA and CIDB Renew Collaboration with New MOU to Promote Investments in The Industrialised Building System (IBS)

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Malaysia, Kedah, 30 October 2021 – AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is pleased to announce the start of construction of its new Integrated Circuit (IC) Substrates manufacturing facility here in Kulim Hi-Technology Park, Kedah

The groundbreaking ceremony was jointly officiated by YAB Tuan Haji Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, Chief Minister of Kedah and YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

During his speech, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali remarked “Despite the pandemic, companies like AT&S are continuing to expand and grow. I am happy that AT&S has chosen Malaysia to establish its first production plant in Southeast Asia. This is by far the largest investment in the history of AT&S with the total investment of €1.7 billion Euros which is expected to create high skilled job opportunities for over 6,000 Malaysians. This investment is timely because the market environment is bullish with the dynamics of global demand.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate MIDA for the expeditious effort since November 2020 to realise this investment. It is with great pride for me to note that it took only about 12 months for this investment to come to fruition from inception to groundbreaking. Indeed, this groundbreaking ceremony is a much-awaited event for Malaysia, and we are delighted to have one of the key global electrical and electronics (E&E) players here in Kedah.”

Echoing the Senior Minister, Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) remarked, “We are proud that AT&S will join Malaysia’s E&E industry cluster. Our strategic position within ASEAN, our robust pool of talent and our established local supply chains that are well-integrated into the global value chain are undeniable pull factors for investors such as AT&S to choose Malaysia as their springboard into the region. Being the country’s principal investment promotion agency under MITI, MIDA looks forward to working closely with AT&S to support the growth of their operations here in Malaysia.” Despite the global pandemic, MIDA has worked closely with AT&S since November 2020 to realise AT&S’ investment. The One-Stop Centre for Business Travellers, managed by MIDA enables investors to travel to Malaysia with a strict Standard of Procedure (SOP) and make business decisions, which also helped AT&S to set up their manufacturing plant in Kulim, Kedah.

The electrical and electronics (E&E) industry contributes to a significant part of Malaysia’s economy. Malaysia’s E&E manufacturing sector is rapidly evolving, with companies shifting their focus to high-tech, knowledge-intensive and higher-value activities. With the E&E ecosystem in place, MIDA is continuously working towards attracting high-value MNCs to Malaysia.

This AT&S project in Malaysia looks to enhance the development of Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem while opening opportunities for local vendors in advanced electronics through industry and training partnerships.

AT&S CEO, Mr. Andreas Gerstenmayer assured, “This step marks a true milestone for AT&S. With our new state-of-the-art factory for IC substrates, we are able to establish a completely new technology sector in Malaysia, one of the future global microelectronics hotspots. We will not only manufacture high-end IC substrates for high-performance processors at our new facility, but also conduct R&D activities at this location. This creates a win-win situation for both, AT&S as well as the Malaysian society as an investment in R&D is an investment in the future of a country.”

“With the AT&S investment in Malaysia, we are creating 6,000 high-tech jobs in the region and will help to set-up the framework for future growth in Malaysia”, says AT&S Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Ingolf Schröeder. “We see it as our natural responsibility as an international company, to truly live our social commitment and our positioning as an inclusive, diverse and responsible employer at any new location.”

MIDA and AT&S had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on long-term research and development partnerships and upskilling programmes with Malaysian universities, training and research institutions, to create highly skilled and high-value-added employment opportunities. The MOU will see both parties collaborate to uplift Malaysia’s talent competence, especially in high end printed circuit boards (PCB) and IC substrates.

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About MIDA

About AT&S

AT&S is a leading manufacturer of high-end printed circuit boards and IC substrates. AT&S industrialises leading-edge technologies for its core business segments Mobile Devices & Substrates, Automotive, Industrial and Medical. AT&S has a global presence with production sites in Austria (Leoben, Fehring) and plants in India (Nanjangud), China (Shanghai, Chongqing) and Korea (Ansan near Seoul). The company employs roughly 12,000 people. For further information please visit www.ats.net.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Gerald Reischl, Director Communications & PR – AT&S AG
Tel.: +43 664 88592452 | Email: [email protected]

Ms. WaiQuan Wong, Junzi Communications On behalf of AT&S AG
Tel.: 03+6012-456 0308 | Email: [email protected]

Ms. Azlina Hamdan, Director, E&E Division, MIDA
Tel.: +603-2267 3791| Email: [email protected]

AT&S ‘Breaks Ground’ On High Technology Manufacturing Facility In Kulim Hi-Technology Park, Malaysia

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MIDA Encourages Batik Manufacturers to Automate During the Batik Week 2021

Kuala Lumpur, 29 October 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), in collaboration with the Malaysian Batik Association, Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia (PENYAYANG), Federation of Malaysian Fashion Textiles and Apparels (FMFTA), and Kraftangan Malaysia, hassuccessfullyorganised a Batik Week from 25 to 29 October 2021. The five-day virtual programme with the theme mooted on “Revitalising Malaysian Batik Industry”, aimed to elevate the Malaysian Batik through adoption of new technology and developing green business models. The Malaysian Government recognises the importance of the cottage industry as the national heritage and the nation’s pride, while the expertise of local craftsmen should be preserved and further enhanced.

YBhg. Dato’ Lokman Hakim, the Secretary General of Ministry of International Trade and Industry said, “The batik industry must be transformed through the adoption of green practices for it to stand out globally. This is critical as it aligns with the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles stipulated in various Government’s policies such as the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, National Investment Aspirations and National Trade Blueprint.”

He added, “Batik designers must strive to marry their creativity with innovation, to ensure our Malaysian batik is more marketable worldwide. Sustainability including technology adoption are strong value propositions that appeal to the international audiences.”

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, highlighted in his welcoming remarks, “Companies should automate and modernise in their bid to reduce overall costs and improve efficiency to compete better, while diversifying their operations into new market”. In line with Malaysia’s IR4.0 initiative, the event explored pathways for local manufacturers, especially the SMEs to embrace technology into the processes of batik making.

He explained, “The Twelfth Malaysian Plan outlines measures to reset the nation’s economy and to build a more resilient nation. In this context, industries’ growth depends upon stronger and comprehensive ecosystem with the right talent, skills and innovation. Moving forward, the Industry 4.0 technologies will be a rudimentary necessity for both the front-end as well as the back-end operations.”

The event showcased pioneer batik entrepreneurs through ‘Batik Showcase’ and Virtual Factory Tours to display their products and brand identity. The sessions created a platform for participants to understand the manufacturing process flow of the Malaysian Batik and its profound opportunities.

“The Batik Industry in Malaysia has set its evolution in place; the industry has matured and has inspired the production of new motifs and has established more new research methods in the batik production. Over the years, it has propagated and promoted the green principles in the batik technology and has diversify in terms of producing more innovative products”, reiterates Ms. Nori Abdullah, Chairman of PENYAYANG.

The event successfully brought together prominent industry stakeholders and more than 500 registered participants including the textile and apparels industry players over the 5 days of Batik Week. In the recent 5 years, MIDA has approved 122 textile and apparels projects with total investments of RM3,174 million, generating 7,538 careers, including skilled positions for engineers, specialised quality controllers and skilled technicians.

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About MIDA

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Najihah Abas, Director, Building Technology and Lifestyle Division, MIDA
Tel.: 03- 2267 6717| Email: [email protected]

Modernising The Batik Industry In Malaysia

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Kuala Lumpur, 27 October 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) with Intel Malaysia and Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) successfully organised the Virtual Artificial Intelligence for SMEs (AI4S) Enhanced Programme for the second time today. The event is a continuation of the first AI4S event held in January this year, where Intel Malaysia awarded AI Starter Kits to 100 selected Malaysian companies. These identified SMEs are currently going through a comprehensive technology enabling process and training to empower them in implementing pilot projects in their business or operation setting to jump-start the Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Industry 4.0 journey.

Today’s AI4S Enhanced Programme saw Intel Malaysia committed to hand out a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) card to the participant companies. The FPGA card is a powerful tool that enables the AI kit to be five times more powerful than the existing kit.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, reiterates McKinsey’s findings that 50 per cent of the production work time in Malaysia is spent on repetitive activities that are highly automatable. “The AI features can assist to automate routine tasks, augment employees’ capabilities, and allow time to focus on more stimulating and higher value-adding work. If automation is widely adopted, AI could potentially create 6 million new jobs by 2030 in Malaysia with new skills and long-term workforce training will be high in demand. Therefore, it is important for the Government to intervene in overcoming challenges faced by the local companies in adopting AI especially in getting the right expertise and manage financing needs.” he added.

Mr. Ruban Kanagaratnam, Vice President of Intel Programmable Solutions Group (PSG), acknowledged, “Intel Malaysia believes that a major paradigm shift is needed in our attitude towards having a mind set to see technology as an industry; moving from rushing into creation of technology to balance it with the adoption of the new technology because it is the primary reason technology creates value in the nation’s development. The company trust that the domestic players especially SMEs has an equal opportunity to participate in this revolution if the technology is more user friendly, cost competitive and accessible to the local businesses.”

Intel is a leader in artificial intelligence solutions covering both software and hardware and is very passionate about bridging its partners, knowledge and technologies together to help build the local ecosystem in Malaysia. To date, five training sessions involving 93 companies have been successfully carried out by MPC and Intel.

Mr. Arham encourages other MNCs to also follow Intel’s footsteps in contributing back to the nation’s industrial ecosystem and increase the capabilities of domestic companies; while at the same time enhancing the MNC’s value proposition. According to him, MIDA is partnering up with Intel Malaysia to emulate a similar AI4S programme for selected local universities to prepare the future ready workforce in AI for entry level careers, while saving employers’ time and resources for basic AI training and skilling.

In line with the Government’s commitment, MIDA seeks industry leaders and players to leverage on the facilitation by the Government under the Industry4WRD initiative. This includes company undertaking Readiness Assessment (RA) programme to assess its capabilities and readiness to adopt Industry 4.0 technology. For more details, please get in touch with the officials or visit the official website at www.mida.gov.my.

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About MIDA

For more information, please contact:
Mr. Norhizam Ibrahim
Director, Advanced Technology and Research and Development Division, MIDA
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603 2267 6611

The Second Virtual Artificial Intelligence for SMEs (AI4S) Programme, Reaffirms Intel Malaysia’s Support for Domestic Players to Adopt AI

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Kuala Lumpur, 22 October 2021 – Mercedes-Benz AG, one of the world’s largest manufacturer of luxury passenger cars has decided to make Malaysia as their Regional Parts Logistics Centre for APAC to manage and distribute an assortment of replacement spare parts and accessories, serving 22 countries.

The company’s new facility in Malaysia will feature a storage capacity of one (1) million square feet and equipped with advanced storage and materials-handling systems to better serve its regional supply chain network.

This move was discussed during the Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Germany, led by YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), on 14 October 2021.

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali remarked, “Mercedes-Benz AG’s decision in choosing Malaysia as their regional parts logistics centre for APAC not only signals the company’s continual pursuit for growth but also is an embodiment of the company’s confidence in Malaysia’s conducive ecosystem and our strength to support their long-term growth. It also acknowledges the capability of our local talent of highly skilled engineers, technicians and as the key global supply chain and distribution hub in the region. In line with the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP), the Government will continue to enhance our ease of doing business, logistics and ports networks as well as promote strategic collaboration and industry linkages to increase Malaysia’s competitiveness in the region.”

Mercedes-Benz joins the increasing trend of establishment of global and regional distribution hubs in Malaysia by companies in industries such as automotive, life sciences and medical devices, electrical and electronics (E&E)as well as machinery and equipment (M&E). These companies seek to tap on Malaysia’s strategic location, talent availability as well as our efficient and reliable logistics network and infrastructure such as ports, airports and financial institutions, allowing them to improve operational efficiency as well as optimise quality and speed for their products and services for their customers.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) welcomed Mercedes-Benz AG’s decision to make Malaysia as their Regional Parts Logistics Centre for APAC, saying, “The Government acknowledges the positive spill-overs of quality investments to the development of Malaysia’s business ecosystem. As such, MIDA has been consistent in our efforts to scout and attract quality investments from around the world. This latest investment by Mercedes-Benz AG will assume a critical role to further strengthen the linkages within our local industry, create high value jobs for Malaysians and enhance our country’s positioning as a global supply chain and distribution hub.”

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About MIDA

For further information, please contact:
Rosedalina Ramlan (Ms.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 3515

Mercedes-Benz AG Chooses Malaysia as Their Regional Parts Logistics Centre for APAC

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Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali underscored Malaysia’s commitment in pursuing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda through the recently unveiled Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMKe12) and National Investment Aspirations (NIA), to the Government of France during his bilateral meeting with Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, His Excellency Franck Riester in Paris.

The session with his counterpart in Paris kick started the Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to France from 15th to 17th October 2021. During the meeting, Dato’ Seri Azmin highlighted opportunities in Malaysia’s growing green technology sector and Malaysian industry players’ capabilities in this high-value sector.

The Senior Minister further emphasised Malaysia’s firm commitment to support an ecosystem built on the sustainable agenda and shared that Malaysia aims to achieve carbon net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the earliest by 2050, which was warmly welcomed by the French Minister.

Both Ministers had an engaging discussion on topics of mutual interest ranging from economic recovery strategies in the endemic phase, advancing reforms at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), leveraging Malaysia’s position in the mega Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement to investment and commercial opportunities in renewable energy. The Malaysian delegation also commended France’s renewed interest in the South East Asian region, including Malaysia, and saw this new development as a pathway to further strengthen the ties
between both nations. France’s growing interest in this region was greatly welcomed as France is set to assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2022.

The Senior Minister held a Roundtable Meeting with Mouvement des Enterprises de France (MEDEF) International which saw the participation of 17 prominent companies including industry captains for aerospace, defence, transportation, chemical & chemical industry, machinery & equipment, Information Technology, inspection & certification and banking sectors. The key takeaway was the reassurances by the Senior Minister that Malaysia will continue to be a strategic business partner with clear and predictable policies, and the Government remains steadfast in further developing the industrial ecosystems in Malaysia. It is truly encouraging that French companies valued Malaysia as their chosen destination to establish or to expand their footprint in South East Asia and the Asia Pacific, leveraging on the business-friendly policies of the Malaysian Government.

Dato’ Seri Azmin also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and MEDEF International. The strategic partnership between MIDA and MEDEF International will complement Malaysia’s NIA through expanded cooperation aiming to facilitate the nation’s industrial ecosystem with the catalytic infrastructure and new technologies.

The Malaysian delegation also had a series of one-to-one sessions with French companies notably Airbus, Saint-Gobain, Adisseo Group, Prolaser and Innovafeed, where the delegation expressed a strong interest to strengthen the footprints of Malaysian products in Europe through France, During these sessions, the French enterprises showed great interest to continue making Malaysia their business partner in the aerospace, biotechnology, advanced chemical, medical devices, halal products and the construction sectors. Malaysia’s strong focus on the green agenda in charting
the country’s economic development also provided the French businesses assurance that Malaysia is moving in tandem with world megatrends.

The TIM to France had successfully generated a total of RM2.6 billion potential investment and RM300 million worth of potential exports, validating the success of Malaysia’s continuous efforts in attracting quality investment and in enhancing participation of local companies in high value global supply chain. The strong interest shown by French companies garnered during the Mission serves as a major catalyst in expanding the bilateral trade and investment relations, most notably in areas that support the sustainable and green agenda advocated by both nations.

MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY (MITI)
18 OCTOBER 2021

About MITI
MITI is the key driver in making Malaysia the preferred destination for quality investments and enhancing the nation’s rising status as a globally competitive trading nation. Its objectives and roles are oriented towards ensuring Malaysia’s rapid economic development and help achieve the country’s stated goal of becoming a developed nation.

Media enquiries:
Strategic Communications Unit, MITI
Tel : +603 62000083
Fax : + 603 62064293
Email : [email protected]

Malaysia And France Move Forward Together In Strengthening Bilateral Ties With Investment Opportunities In The Sustainable Economy

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Paris, 18 October 2021 – Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali witnessed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and MEDEF International, the French private business network abroad. The MOU formalises the continuous partnership between both organisations to further encourage, promote and facilitate potential investments and business cooperation for mutually beneficial outcomes.

The MOU was signed by Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA and Mr. Philippe Gautier, CEO of MEDEF International, during the roundtable meeting with MEDEF International’s France – Malaysia Business Council members.

Also present at the signing ceremony were His Excellency Dato’ Mohd Zamruni Khalid, the Ambassador of Malaysia to France; Mr. Hairil Yahri Yaacob, Deputy Secretary General (Trade) of MITI; and Mr. Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz, CEO of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).

Economic ties between Malaysia and France have flourished over the years driven by solid diplomatic foundations laid by leaders of both countries. This is evident through the increasing number of French companies investing in Malaysia. As of December 2020, a total of 126 manufacturing projects with French participation have been implemented in Malaysia, with total investments worth RM4.36 billion (USD1.31 billion), creating more than 10,900 jobs.

Underscoring the significance of the MOU, Dato’ Seri Azmin remarked, “France has had a long presence in Malaysia’s manufacturing and services sectors. Recognising the synergies between the French innovative capabilities and Malaysia’s value proposition, we are confident that there will be more French investors, investing particularly within high value and high technology fields such as transport equipment (aerospace), ICT, pharmaceutical, scientific and measuring equipment, electrical and electronics, food, chemical and chemical products as well as machinery and equipment. Concurrently, we hope that these investments will spur more talent development programmes to future proof our workforce, building upon our National Investment Aspirations (NIA) and the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP) towards 2025.”

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman elaborated, “Given MEDEF International’s invaluable global network in more than 120 markets, this partnership will enable more Malaysian businesses and technology providers to better connect with the global supply chain. The Government of Malaysia, through MIDA will continue to work closely with MEDEF International to further boost and realise French investments in Malaysia.”

Mr. Philippe Gautier also expressed his pleasure to further deepen the partnership between both organisations, saying “MIDA and MEDEF International have established a long and close relationship over many years. MEDEF International’s France-Malaysia Business Council, in particular, has been actively meeting and engaging with Malaysian public authorities and private sector decision-makers for three (3) decades through a number of business missions to Kuala Lumpur. We have also continued to work virtually with MIDA over the past two (2) years since the pandemic to foster opportunities and connect more French companies with Malaysian businesses. We look forward to more future collaborations in building dynamic bilateral relations.”

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About MIDA
MIDA is the Government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About MEDEF International
MEDEF International is the French private business network abroad; chaired by Mr. Frederic Sanchez, CEO of FIVES GROUP. MEDEF International aims at promoting the French companies’ know-how abroad through collective actions. MEDEF International supports trade, technologic cooperation and investments, long-term partnerships, especially on emerging and developing markets as well as reconstruction markets.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Faizal Jalaludin
Director, Foreign Investment Promotion Division, MIDA
Phone: +603 2267 6633
Email: [email protected]

Ms. Priyanka Ramatchandirane
Project Officer – South-East Asia & Oceania
MEDEF International
Phone: +331 5359 1632
Email: [email protected]

MIDA and MEDEF International Ink Strategic Partnership to Support Investment Opportunities and Business Cooperation

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Kuala Lumpur, 18 October 2021 – H&R GmbH & Co. KGaA announced that it will be investing RM200 million in a speciality manufacturing plant in Lumut, Perak. The leading global sustainable refiner and marketer of speciality plasticisers, extender oils, softeners and waxes, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany has more than 100 years of experience operating speciality refineries in manufacturing plants around the world.

H&R announced its investment plan during the meeting between H&R and the Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Germany delegation led by YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

The Group will be establishing a new entity, H&R Chempharm Asia Sdn. Bhd., which will focus on the production of environmentally friendly plasticisers for tyre and rubber applications as well as technical and medicinal white oils for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and polymer applications with the new introductory of bio-based products. This investment is anticipated to create 70 new jobs in Malaysia.

H&R plans to kickstart the construction of their facility by March 2022, followed by commencement of production in early 2024. The project will tentatively be carried out in three (3) phases, with a designed capacity of 150,000 tons per annum. Phase I and Phase II will be dedicated to the production of speciality plasticisers, white oils and wax emulsions from mineral, synthetic and renewable resources; Phase III will focus on the production of renewables through uniquely designed synthesising technologies.

Apart from H&R Chempharm Asia Sdn. Bhd., H&R has two (2) existing facilities in Malaysia, namely H&R Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and H&R Malaysia Wax Sdn. Bhd. in Port Klang and Batu Caves, respectively. These facilities have been in operations since 1990, producing wax speciality emulsions as well as undertaking marketing and distribution activities of various specialty oils and waxes.

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali remarked, “H&R’s investment announcement reflects foreign investors’ confidence in Malaysia’s business environment that remains conducive. The Group has indicated clear goals to reduce its dependency on fossil-based feedstock towards renewable or hybrid feedstock for more sustainable products and speciality applications; eventually to reach carbon neutral in its operation by 2035. This is in line with Malaysia’s commitment to drive reforms in achieving carbon net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. This strategic investment will further support and drive Malaysia’s commitment towards Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) values and advancing green growth as outlined in the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP).”

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) echoed the Senior Minister, saying, “It is encouraging to see H&R further enhance their venture towards bio-based products in Malaysia. This is a testament to our well-established chemical industry ecosystem that has been an important catalyst to other industries such as automotive, food, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. MIDA, through our Project Acceleration and Coordination Unit (PACU) will work closely with H&R to provide end-to-end facilitation in ensuring the smooth implementation of their project in Malaysia.”

Mr. Niels H. Hansen, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of H&R, shared, “The strategic direction and vision of the Malaysian Government for a carbon neutral economy definitely strengthens our determination to further invest in the country. Our investment in Lumut, Perak aims to contribute to a more sustainable growth, focusing on de-fossilisation.”

He further added, “Malaysia, centrally positioned in Southeast Asia, is a sustainable manufacturing hub with rich resources, in both mineral and renewable feedstock, to serve the ASEAN community. As an industry leader in the manufacture and marketing of speciality niche products, we intend to develop a hybrid business model in our project in Lumut to transition production of mineral-based products to renewable specialties with locally sourced feedstock to supply to our global customers who are producing in the region.”

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About MIDA

About H&R Malaysia

H&R GmbH & Co. KGaA, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is a leading global sustainable refiner and marketer of speciality plasticisers, extender oils, softeners and waxes. H&R operates speciality refineries in manufacturing plants around the world and owns as a shareholder a bio speciality refinery in the USA.

For further information, please contact:

Surayu Susah (Ms.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 6773

Sritharen Kittappa (Mr.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603 31768314 / +60 0193216894

Hansen & Rosenthal (H&R) Group Renews Commitment To Malaysia With Additional RM200 million Investment

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The Expansion Plan was announced duringTrade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Germany led by Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry

Kuala Lumpur, 15 October 2021 – BASF PETRONAS Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. (“BPC”), a joint venture between BASF and PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (“PCG”), plans to expand its annual production capacity of 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid (2-EHA) at its Verbund site in Gebeng Industrial Area, Kuantan, Pahang. This milestone looks to not only strengthen the Company’s presence in Asia but to also meet the demands of their customers worldwide.

BPC’s announcement was one of the key discussion points during the meeting between BASF, represented by Dr. Markus Kamieth, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASE SE and the Trade and Investment Mission’s (TIM) delegation to Germany, led by YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), on 13 October 2021.

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali commended the BPC project and expansion plan in Malaysia, saying: “BPC, as a fully integrated oil and gas multinational has been instrumental in propelling the growth and further value-adding to the Malaysia’s speciality chemical ecosystem. The Government, through MITI and MIDA will continue to provide the requisite assistance to the Company to realise their future plans, reinforcing our commitment to attract and sustain quality investments in the country. This is crucial as our industries manufacture for a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future in line with the Environment, Social and Governance values (ESG) under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).”

Apart from the production site in Kuantan, Malaysia, BASF produces 2-EHA at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BPC proposes to increase its annual production capacity of 2-EHA from 30,000 to 60,000 metric tons by 2024.

Mr. Vasilios Galanos, Senior Vice President, Intermediates Asia Pacific of BASF commented, “We are committed to supporting our customers’ growing demand in various 2-EHA downstream applications such as synthetic lubricants for the white goods industry and PVB plasticisers for safety glass production in the construction and automotive segments. With the increased capacity, we continue to ensure persistent supply capability in Asia Pacific with the highest standard of product quality.”

Datuk Sazali Hamzah, Managing Director and CEO of PCG further elaborated, “2-EHA has been an integral part of BPC’s growth and it is timely that the expansion is planned to capture the growing market. The expansion is also in line with PCG’s sustainable growth strategy to expand our portfolio with higher value products. By leveraging the existing integration between BPC and other PCG plants in the Kuantan Verbund site, we are able to maximise our value chain by improving the quality and cost competitiveness of our products and continue delivering innovative solutions to our customers.”

Mr. Marko Murtonen, Managing Director of BPC also mentioned, “This expansion marks another milestone of the well-established partnership between BASF and PCG. It reinforces our commitment to expand local production to meet our growing customer demand competitively. Additionally, it caters to a rising trend on high quality products combined with production efficiency that is well integrated into the sustainability targets of our parent companies.”

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) remarked, “The strategic venture between BASF and PCG since 1997 is among the commendable success stories in shaping the development of the chemical industry in Malaysia. BPC expansion plan is timely to strengthen the country’s chemical industry towards producing higher value-added offerings such as speciality chemicals and market-driven chemical products, which will drive the growth and development of the entire value chain.”

“Towards this, MIDA will continuously strive to improve the business landscape in Malaysia and be ever-ready to facilitate our stakeholders to spearhead the investment agenda of the country in line with the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP) and our National Investment Aspirations (NIA),” he added.

2-EHA is a chemical intermediate used as a compound in the production of synthetic lubricants as well as oil additives. It is also used in functional fluids such as automotive coolants, metal salts for paint dryers, plasticisers, stabilisers and catalysts in various industries.

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About MIDA

For further enquiries, please contact:
Surayu Susah (Ms)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 6773

About BASF PETRONAS Chemicals Sdn. Bhd.

BASF PETRONAS Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. is a Malaysia-based joint venture between BASF and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Malaysia’s fully integrated oil and gas multinational, under its subsidiary PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG). Incorporated in 1997, the company operates an integrated ‘Verbund’ site situated in the Gebeng Industrial Zone, Pahang. The company’s share capital is 60% held by BASF and 40% held by PCG. Key products include acrylic monomers, oxo products, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, highly reactive polyisobutene and aroma ingredients.

For more information, visit our website www.basf-petronas.com.my

BASF Petronas Chemicals to Ramp-Up Production In Kuantan, Malaysia

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Kuala Lumpur, 8 October 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) for the implementation of the MIDA Assessment Development Center (MADC) HyTalent Programme. The signing ceremony was witnessed by YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

“The MADC HyTalent Programme embodies the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP) roadmap to develop and equip future talent with Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skill sets that are important for them to keep pace with the rapid changes in technological advancement and meet industry demands. Through this strategic partnership, the Government anticipates a more skilled and diverse Malaysian workforce, particularly in the manufacturing sector as the Programme is uniquely structured to provide trainees with intensive leadership and technical training in the field of Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT),” said YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

The MADC HyTalent Programme syllabus is established in collaboration with local universities together with international and local industry players to bridge the gap between the supply of local engineers and the demand of the industry, especially in the field of IoT and IIOT. It comprises a 6-month live-in pilot programme combined with a 6-month internship duration to develop fresh graduates in a structured leadership and technical training to meet the needs of Malaysia’s industries.

YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali further added, “The MADC HyTalent Programme anticipates to train 500 trainees in the field of IoT and IIOT to be employed at participating Malaysian companies with a higher than average compensation or salary after graduation. This is a testament to the Government’s continuous focus on creating high-value jobs to ensure Malaysians reap the long-term benefits of investments in the country, in tandem to enhancing the overall industry’s ecosystem to drive sustainable economic growth on the road to recovery post COVID-19.”

The Programme is approved under the special COVID-19 Fund (Kumpulan Wang Covid19 (2021 – 2022)) by the Government to stimulate Malaysia’s current economy amidst the pandemic, with special emphasis towards addressing unemployment.

MIDA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman iterated, “At MIDA, we have always highly valued public-private partnerships. Hence, we are excited to partner with UKM, UTM and UPM for the implementation of the MADC HyTalent Programme, whereby these reputable universities will provide the much-needed personnel equipped suitably with the relevant qualifications and experience to support our fresh graduates. This is to groom future leaders with the essential talents of technical and soft skills as required by the industry.”

“MIDA, under the stewardship of MITI will also continue in our mandate to facilitate high-technology, knowledge-based and capital-intensive investments that generate multiplier effects on Malaysia’s economy, including generating quality jobs. We hope that this will ultimately contribute towards increasing the country’s productivity, efficiency and global competitiveness as an investment destination regardless of the global economic sentiments,” he added.

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About MIDA

For further enquiries, please contact:

Aizah Abdullah (Ms)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 3529

MIDA Partners with Local Universities to Drive Industry 4.0 Readiness Among Fresh Graduates

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Malaysia’s First Lighthouse Spearheading the Nation’s Industry 4.0 Aspirations

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 October 2021 – The World Economic Forum (WEF) has recognised and awarded the Western Digital factory at Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia as the latest entrant to its Global Lighthouse Network (GLN). This is a community of world-leading companies that have succeeded in the adaptation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) at scale.

The World Economic Forum Global Lighthouse Network recognises production sites and value chains that are world leaders in the adoption and integration of the cutting-edge technologies of the 4IR.

*“Lights-out” operations in the Western Digital Batu Kawan, Penang facility*

Lighthouses apply 4IR technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D-printing and big data analytics to maximise efficiency and competitiveness at scale, transform business models and drive economic growth, while augmenting the workforce, protecting the environment and contributing to a learning journey for all-sized manufacturers across all geographies and industries.

In congratulating Western Digital, Batu Kawan (Malaysia) on its achievement at the press conference held today, Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), remarked, “Western Digital’s operations in Batu Kawan, Penang has brought significant benefits to local players by resetting the benchmark of operational, financial and sustainability levels.

“This project will be a precursor and example to the rest of the industry in addressing sustainability and growth in intense global competition. This revolution is in line with Malaysia’s National Investment Aspirations as well as the Twelfth Malaysian Plan (12MP) initiatives as Malaysia embarks on economic recovery and reinforces its global supply chain.”

*CEO of Western Digital, Mr. David Goeckeler (left), and Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) (right)*

Mr. Arham added, “Western Digital, Batu Kawan (Malaysia), as the first Lighthouse in the country, will serve as a beacon for local industry players to improve their operations by effectively implementing 4IR technologies.

“MIDA is confident that more multinationals and local conglomerates will follow Western Digital’s footsteps in transforming their operations, as well as their supply chain in Malaysia to effectively adopt new technologies.

“We welcome companies to participate in the national-level Lighthouse Programme to support local companies to integrate into the lighthouse network, embracing innovation and operational efficiency that will eventually benefit Malaysia’s economic ecosystem.”

The CEO of Western Digital, Mr David Goeckeler affirmed that “Today’s recognition by the WEF Lighthouse Network is an honour and a testament of our leadership efforts in 4IR with both technology innovation and workforce engagement.”

“In a world that is increasingly technology-enabled and technology-dependent, we understand that the responsibility we have to the future of industry has never been more critical. As the world’s leading data infrastructure provider, we are committed to enabling sustainable growth and transformation across our facilities around the world to deliver value to our customers, employees, and partners,” he further added.

Spearheading by example is Malaysia’s Western Digital factory at Batu Kawan, Penang which has been recognised as part of the network. Of the 90 total sites within the network globally, Western Digital is the first company in Malaysia to receive this distinction.

The company applied technology innovations such as artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, advanced analytics and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) – to achieve transformational change at its facility in Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia. This includes automating production and logistics to deliver 32 per cent factory cost improvement, reducing product inventory and order lead time by 50 per cent.

Beyond technology, workforce development is another key focus area for the Western Digital Batu Kawan factory. The site rolled out a comprehensive IIOT Academy program to educate and nurture its talents to cultivate a new way of thinking with the adoption of 4IR technologies. The IIOT Academy program includes strategic partnerships with local universities and international platforms to upskill employees at all levels.

*Factory automation in the Western Digital Batu Kawan, Penang facility*

The GLN also lists sustainability as one of its key criteria. Western Digital is committed to its sustainability efforts, and this presents a great opportunity to collaborate with WEF on this new frontier.

“Increased global concern for environmental impact has made sustainability a must-have to maintain business viability,” said Francisco Betti, Head of Shaping the Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains, World Economic Forum.

“The selected Sustainability Lighthouses make it clear that by realising the potential of 4IR technologies in manufacturing, companies can unlock new levels of sustainability in their operations and explore a win-win solution: greater operational competitiveness while simultaneously making commitments to environmental stewardship, leading in a cleaner, more sustainable future as a result,” he further added.

MIDA is committed to pursue the strategies outlined in the National Policy of Industry 4.0 (Industry4WRD), aimed to develop Malaysia as a high-tech nation. The 12MP highlights technology adoption and innovation are to catalyse growth across all sectors; while productivity growth is expected to be led by the manufacturing sector, growing at 4.3% per year over the next five years (2021 to 2025). The digitalisation process will be accelerated and the adoption of advanced technology, particularly the 4IR technologies, will be promoted through various Government facilitations.

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About Global Lighthouse Network

The Global Lighthouse Network is a community of production sites and other facilities that are world leaders in the adoption and integration of the cutting-edge technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Lighthouses apply 4IR technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D-printing and big data analytics to maximise efficiency and competitiveness at scale, transform business models and drive economic growth, while augmenting the workforce, protecting the environment, and contributing to a learning journey for all-sized manufacturers across all geographies and industries. The Global Lighthouse Network is a World Economic Forum project in collaboration with McKinsey & Co; factories and value chains that join the Network are designated by an independent panel of experts.

About Western Digital

Western Digital creates environments for data to thrive. As a leader in data infrastructure, the company is driving the innovation needed to help customers capture, preserve, access and transform an ever-increasing diversity of data. Everywhere data lives, from advanced data centers to mobile sensors to personal devices, our industry-leading solutions deliver the possibilities of data. Western Digital data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk® and WD® brands.

About MIDA

For media enquiries, please contact:

Norhizam Ibrahim (Mr.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 6611

Mustard Tree Communications PLT (on behalf of Western Digital, Batu Kawan, Malaysia)
Ray Chin / Kelly Lee / Shanty Dass / Jade Wong
6018 203 1004 / 6016 237 0681 / 6012 747 2814 / 6012 219 5289
[email protected]/ [email protected]/ [email protected]/ [email protected]

Western Digital WEF Lighthouse Network

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TAIYO YUDEN ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF MULTILAYER CERAMIC CAPACITORS PRODUCTION IN SARAWAK

Construction project by Taiyo Yuden valued at RM680 million commences in September 2021

Kuala Lumpur, 21 September 2021 – Taiyo Yuden Co. Ltd., listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, announced today that one of its subsidiaries, Taiyo Yuden (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, is expanding its multilayer ceramic capacitors manufacturing facility in Kuching as a strategic move to increase its production capacity in the ASEAN region. This marks another milestone for Malaysia as the preferred hub for global manufacturers and an ASEAN gateway.

The expansion of Taiyo Yuden’s facility in Sarawak was discussed during the Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Tokyo in April 2021 led by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry.

“Taiyo Yuden’s decision to inject RM680 million capital investments for their new facility reflects booming investors’ confidence in our ecosystem’s readiness to support global production. This achievement demonstrates the success of the Government’s aggressive and effective strategies to welcome and facilitate high-quality FDIs. MIDA has been working closely with Taiyo Yuden in ensuring the smooth implementation of their expansion project that will generate an additional 2,000 job opportunities,” said Dato’ Seri Azmin.

Mr. Shinji Masuyama, Director and Executive Vice President of Taiyo Yuden said, “The construction of this new plant is an important investment agenda under the Group’s Medium-term Management Plan 2025. More than ever, we will strive continuously to develop as a business enterprise that is trustworthy to all the stakeholders, including our customers, local communities in Malaysia, and employees.”

Taiyo Yuden (Sarawak) is a production site for multilayer ceramic capacitors, which are essential components for the creation of miniature and high-performance electronic devices. Since 1994, the company has employed 4,600 personnel in their manufacturing plant.

The company foresees a higher demand for multilayer ceramic capacitors in the future due to the advancement of technologies in automobiles, electrical and electronics, 5G smartphones and communications infrastructure.

The Kuching facility spanning over 36,500 square meters, is expected to be in operation by March 2023. It will include the usage of high-tech equipment with state-of-the-art features, support high-energy conservation and incorporate solar-powered roof, in line with ESG Goals. This bodes well with the National Investment Aspirations (NIA) crucial in revitalising Malaysia’s investment climate, attract high-quality investments and create high-income jobs.

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About MIDA

About TAIYO YUDEN

Since Taiyo Yuden’s inception, we have achieved growth by undertaking the research, development, manufacture and sales of various types of electronic components. Our product lineup includes capacitors, as well as inductors and Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR)/Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices. The source of our strength comes from the undertaking of development starting from material development to product commercialisation. This approach enables us to continually provide products that respond closely to our customer needs in the markets we serve. We currently offer products used in such electronic devices, as smartphones and tablets. We also offer a wide range of fields such as automobile and IT infrastructure/industrial equipment, where the application of IT and electronics is accelerating. For more information, please visit https://www.yuden.co.jp/ap/ .

For media enquiries, please contact:

Manjit Kaur Balkar Singh (Ms)

Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 3509

Taiyo Yuden Announces Expansion Of Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors Production In Sarawak

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Kuala Lumpur, 15 September 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) hosted a webinar today on ‘Seizing the Next Wave of E&E Investment into Malaysia’. The webinar, which was broadcasted online, successfully attracted more than 350 participants, represented by manufacturers, service providers and potential investors.

Dato’ Seri Wong Siew Hai, President of MSIA welcomed the attendees and iterated that the webinar was important to emphasise that Malaysia is open-for-business, with continued and sustained discussions between the Government and electrical and electronics (E&E) companies to improve the ease of doing business in the country. This is part of the efforts to make Malaysia more competitive in the E&E sector and move up the global value chain.

Presently, Malaysia stands as a crucial global hub in the semiconductor global supply chain, with approximately seven (7) per cent of the total global semiconductor trade flowing through the nation. In 2020, the E&E exports recorded RM386 billion, accounting for 39.4 per cent of Malaysia’s total exports.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA, in his Keynote Address highlighted the need for Malaysia to be in the forefront in seizing opportunities in the E&E, particularly the semiconductor segment. This is especially important as more global companies are seeking to capitalise on Malaysia to develop new technologies, venture into additional products and ramp up production capacities to meet the growing needs and demands of the industry.

“Malaysia welcomes investments of complex and high value-added products, intensification of R&D activities, adoption of digitalisation and new technologies. Malaysian companies are encouraged to participate in the greater E&E value chain, especially in closing the ecosystem gaps, such as in IC design, advanced IC packaging, engineering and testing services, as well as Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS),” said Mr. Arham.

“Towards this, various stimulus packages, namely PENJANA were introduced to continue supporting new and existing industry players and promoting the development of industries in Malaysia. These massive allocations are necessary to help businesses and industries to retain workers, meet market demands and remain operational beyond the current economic climate. We are optimistic that these measures will solidify Malaysia’s position as a competitive and profitable investment destination in line with our National Investment Aspirations (NIA). In this regard, industry players are strongly urged to take the full advantage of all the packages available, particularly those offered through MIDA to facilitate investments and businesses.”

The webinar featured an expert forum between Mr. Arham; Mr. Gursharan Singh, Senior Vice President for Global Assembly and Test of Micron Technology; Mr. Ng Kok Tiong, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Infineon Technologies Kulim Sdn. Bhd.; and Mr. Yogannaidu Sivanchalam, Country Managing Director of Texas Instruments Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. The panel was moderated by Dato’ P’ng Soo Hong, Vice President and Managing Director of Manufacturing Operations at First Solar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Mr. Yogannaidu from Texas Instruments Malaysia remarked, “Given the long-term trend of semiconductors growth in electronics, and the fact that manufacturing is the main engine of Malaysia’s economic growth, the Government and industry players must seize this opportunity by improving Malaysia’s attractiveness as a global E&E investment destination.” Over its nearly 50-year history in Malaysia, Texas Instruments Malaysia has created thousands of jobs, including hiring graduates from local universities.

Drawing from Infineon’s 47 years in Malaysia, with activities comprising of wafer fabrication, assembly, test and R&D facilities, Mr. Ng Kok Tiong shared, “Malaysia has cost advantages and supportive economic environment, which continue to be very attractive for Infineon to expand its existing operations and R&D capabilities in new technologies. We are confident that our long-term presence will continue to position Malaysia in enhancing its global semiconductors supply chain hub.”

Mr. Gursharan Singh elaborated on Micron’s steady growth in Malaysia since 2018, “In the last decade, Malaysia has become critical to our global manufacturing footprint. Despite the pandemic, we have successfully established two facilities in two years in Seberang Perai (2019) and Batu Kawan (2020), Penang. With 99 per cent of our workforce recruited locally, Micron will continue to generate employment with our continued growth, and deeply engage in the communities where we operate.” Currently, with close to 4,000 team members, Micron, the global leader in memory and storage, plans to generate another 2,000 jobs over the next three (3) to four (4) years in Malaysia.

Companies interested to leverage Malaysia to establish their E&E operations may engage with MIDA’s E&E Division through www.mida.gov.my.

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About MIDA

About MSIA

Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) is an industry association which cover individuals and companies incorporated in Malaysia who are involved directly or related to Semiconductor Industry (Electronics and Systems), Semiconductor Industry supply chain, institutions providing significant related services to semiconductor industry such as engineering, finance, legal and those societies, associations, chambers and government – linked agencies. For more information, please visit http://www.msia.org.my.

For enquiries, please contact:

Azlina Hamdan (Ms.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 3791

Nur Aliah Manshor (Ms.)
Email: [email protected] | DL: +019-2844759

Malaysia Remains an Attractive Location For Semiconductor And E&E Companies

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MITI and MIDA Committed to Ensuring Success of National Investment Aspirations and Robust and Sustainable Economic Recovery

Malaysia achieved robust and impressive performance for the first half of 2021 with foreign direct investments (FDI) soaring by 223.1 per cent compared to 1H 2020, signaling the confidence of foreign investors in the country’s stable and conducive economic climate and business ecosystem. This augurs well for Malaysia’s path to vibrant and sustainable economic recovery.

The stellar performance also demonstrates that Malaysia’s strategy of positioning the country as an attractive investment destination of choice and a supply chain hub in ASEAN, particularly for manufacturing operations, is showing positive results. FDI drove the strong and vibrant performance of the manufacturing sector during the period, registering RM58.2 billion in approved investments. The remaining RM8.7 billion approved investments in this sector were from domestic sources.

In terms of total approved investments, Malaysia recorded RM107.5 billion of FDI and domestic direct investments (DDI) in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors, chalking up a massive jump of 69.8 per cent compared to the same period last year. Achieved amidst a very challenging global economic landscape, the investments involved 2,110 projects and are expected to generate 44,994 job opportunities in the country.

Leveraging on the positive progress on the National Recovery Plan (NRP), improvement in the overall public health situation, and gradual reopening of economic sectors, Malaysia continues to attract high-value and high-tech investments, bolstered by our capacity and capability in providing high-skilled talents and firm readiness in adopting advanced technology for value-added industries.

In tandem with our National Investment Aspirations (NIA), Malaysia consistently pursues more capital-intensive projects and those that support the development agenda of the nation, consistent with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. This is reflected by the increasing number of capital-intensive projects approved by MIDA.
Simultaneously, there is an emphasis on creating jobs across a wide spectrum of skills for the rakyat. In this regard, the 367 manufacturing projects worth RM66.9 billion approved during the first half of 2021, will create 32,220 job opportunities in various positions and roles, leading on the path for high-value and skilled employment.

The workforce required for the approved investments include 1,367 managerial positions and 4,031 technical professionals such as engineers in the field of E&E, mechanical, chemical and other disciplines, reflecting the higher value chain transition of the manufacturing sector. The approved manufacturing projects will also require 4,144 skilled craftsmen. Meanwhile, domestic investments, leading in the services and primary sectors, totaled RM45.0 billion or 41.9% of the total approved investments.

Notable projects approved in 1H 2021 include Republic of Korea’s SK Nexilis project for a new copper foil manufacturing plant, Risen Energy’s proposed project to produce bi-facial technology solar products, and
OCIM’s proposed investment to expand the capacity of its solar grade polysilicon plant. These projects will not only further enhance Malaysia’s industry ecosystem but boost employment opportunities in the field of high-tech skills as well as enable local businesses to leverage on the global value chain.

Going forward, from the strategic vantage point of the NIA, we will continue to pursue high quality investments to bring value to the nation and people, not just in preserving jobs but in creating new high value-added employment. We are committed towards positioning Malaysia as the ideal partner for investors in the region, enhancing our economic complexity and propelling long term growth for Malaysia through the flow of sustainable quality investments in new and complex growth areas.

With the trajectory of Malaysia’s strong economic fundamentals, positive factors underpinning growth prospect as well as expected stronger external demand for our products, the Government is fully committed to ensuring robust and sustainable recovery, equitable economic growth and shared prosperity for Malaysia.

Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali
Senior Minister
Minister of International Trade and Industry
13 September 2021

APPENDIX

Approved Investments in Malaysia Increased by more than 69 %, to Record RM107.5 Billion in the First Half of 2021

During the first half of 2021, Malaysia attracted a total of RM107.5 billion of foreign investments (FDI) and expanded domestic investments (DDI) approved in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors, representing an increase of 69.8 per cent compared to the same period of last year. The approved investments involved 2,110 projects and are
expected to generate 44,994 job opportunities in the country.

More than 58.1 per cent of the approved investments were from foreign sources, valued at RM62.5 billion. Singapore, Republic of Korea and the Netherlands were the top three foreign investment sources accounting for nearly 90 per cent or RM54.9 billion of the total approved FDI in the country.

Meanwhile, domestic investments totaled RM45.0 billion or 41.9% of the total approved investments. While FDI dominated the manufacturing sector, investments from Malaysian companies led in the services and primary sectors.

Five states – Kedah, Selangor, W.P. Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak and Johor – contributed RM85.0 billion (79.0%) to the total approved investments with a potential to create 31,395 jobs.

Manufacturing Sector

The manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of the total investments in 1H 2021, amounting to RM66.9 billion (62.2%), followed by the services sector with RM34.1 billion (31.7%) and the primary sector with RM6.5 billion (6.1%).

A total of 367 manufacturing projects worth RM66.9 billion were approved in first six months of 2021, compared to RM36.4 billion in the same period last year. In terms of top-performing industries in 1H 2021, the electrical 5 and electronics (E&E) (RM47.1 billion), fabricated metal products (RM5.1 billion), chemicals and chemical products (RM3.8 billion), food manufacturing (RM3.7 billion) and rubber products (RM3.6 billion) made up 94.6 per cent of total approved investments for this sector.

The workforce required for the approved investments include 1,367 managerial positions and 4,031 technical professionals such as engineers in the field of E&E, mechanical, chemical and other disciplines, reflecting the higher value chain transition of the manufacturing sector. The approved manufacturing projects will also require 4,144 skilled craftsmen such as plant maintenance supervisors, tools and die makers, machinists, IT personnel, quality controllers, electricians and welders. The capital investment per employee (CIPE) ratio of the projects approved in 1H 2021
increased to RM2,077,245 from RM1,333,559 during the same period last year.

FDI drove the robust performance of the manufacturing sector during the period, registering RM58.2 billion in approved investments, soaring by 223.1 per cent compared to 1H 2020. The remaining RM8.7 billion approved investments in the sector were from domestic sources.

Services Sector

A total of 1,717 services projects were approved in 1H 2021. These projects are expected to create more than 12,400 job opportunities. The total investments approved in the services sector recorded an increase of nearly 30 per cent from the approvals recorded for the same period in 2020.

Domestic investments made up the larger portion, recording RM31.9 billion or 93.6 per cent of the total approved investments while the remainder, RM2.2 billion were from foreign sources.

The real estate sub-sector remains the largest contributor with RM14.9 billion, recording a 20.6 per cent increase from the corresponding period last year. Following the easing of restrictions on economic activities, the global establishments, support services, transport services, distributive trade, hotel and tourism, financial services and education services subsectors have also recorded increases during the period.

Primary Sector

The primary sector contributed RM6.5 billion or 6.1 per cent to the total approved projects in the first half of 2021. The mining subsector continued to lead with approved investments of RM6.4 billion, followed by plantation and commodities with RM79.8 million and agriculture with RM11.5 million. These investments are expected to create 278 job opportunities.

Investments from domestic sources took the lead in the sector with a total amount of RM4.4 billion or 66.9 per cent, while foreign investments contributed RM2.1 billion or 33.1 per cent.

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Massive Jump in Approved Investments in Malaysia Signals Confidence of Investors

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Kuala Lumpur, 8 Sept 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Citibank Berhad (Citi Malaysia) today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a partnership to extend a financial platform and a seamless provision of end-to-end banking services by Citi Malaysia to new and existing foreign investors in Malaysia.

The MOU was signed virtually by MIDA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman and Citi Malaysia Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Usman Ahmed. The ceremony was also attended by Citi Malaysia’s Head of Corporate Banking, Ms. Zuliana Tann, Head of Global Subsidiaries Group, Mr. Biplab Banerjee and Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions, Mr. Abdul Jalil Jalaludin; as well as MIDA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Sivasuriyamoorthy Sundara Raja, and Director of Foreign Investment Promotion, Mr. Faizal Jalaludin.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, CEO of MIDA, appreciated the collaboration to stimulate active business environment in the current economic recovery. He added, “In response to the changing global business landscape, Malaysia is adopting bold and impactful initiatives to encourage existing as well as new investors and industry players to induce new investments into the country. The MOU with Citi Malaysia signifies MIDA’s continuous commitment in pursuing high technology and high value-added investment projects according to the National Investment Aspiration (NIA) framework and goals of the 12^th Malaysia Plan in driving further economic growth. I trust this partnership will also boost the Government’s on-going efforts to position Malaysia as the pre-eminent preferred investment destination in the region”.

Citi Malaysia Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Usman Ahmed remarked, “Citi Malaysia is very pleased to partner with MIDA as we expand our institutional business in Malaysia and continue to present Malaysia as an attractive investment destination to our clients across the globe. Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we have witnessed significant growth in flows across key investment corridors as Malaysia continues to stand out as an important and competitive investment destination. Our Global Subsidiaries and Commercial Banking businesses have been at the forefront in facilitating these flows and the collaboration with MIDA will help both organisations to complement each other’s efforts.”

“We thank MIDA for this opportunity to work together to promote FDI and trade flows. As the world’s most global bank, Citi has a presence in 96 countries and does business in over 160 countries and through this MoU we look forward to harnessing the full potential of our network, world-class products and digital banking capabilities to further deepen our commitment to the country.” he added.

Citi Malaysia’s multinational clients operate in various industries spanning across the high-technology manufacturing, industrials, energy (including renewables), consumer, health care, services as well as hardware and software technology sectors.

Citi Malaysia is also one of the largest market makers for Malaysian Government Securities and is among the top foreign banks in Malaysia for Corporate Foreign Exchange, cross border cash management and institutional investor transactions.

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About MIDA

About Citi

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services and wealth management.

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi |

YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi.

Media Contact:

MIDA:
Manjit Kaur Balkar Singh (Ms)
Email: [email protected] | Tel.: +603 2267 3509

Citi Malaysia:
Sara Yasmine Mohamed
Email: [email protected] | Tel.: +6012 2160022

MIDA Inks MOU with Citi Malaysia on Business Financial Facilitation

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KUALA LUMPUR, 8 September 2021 – K-One MediTech Sdn Bhd (K-One MediTech), a wholly-owned subsidiary of K-One Technology Bhd (K-One), is set to develop and manufacture the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA-JPL) licensed ventilators in Malaysia, in a bold determination to meet increasing demands and the changing global landscape of medical devices industry. The company’s research and manufacturing of enhanced models of ventilators will cater to a wider scope of applications for acute respiratory diseases, with add-on smart features such as Internet of Things (IoT), as well as value-add attributes to technological developments of medical devices industry.

Having secured the license to manufacture ventilators developed by NASA-JPL, K-One MediTech has also been awarded a matching grant by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). With MIDA’s facilitation, K-One plans for future development and manufacture of ventilators, perhaps under its own brand. The grant will also support to obtain international markings, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European CE approvals in meeting the American and European standards, which reflects as the gold standard certifications.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA expressed, “K-One’s achievement in being the only Malaysian company licensed to produce NASA-JPL’s ventilators, represents a huge leap of the local technological capability towards the production of more complex and high technology medical devices to meet the global demands. Given the escalating demands for ventilators worldwide in managing the Covid-19 pandemic, it is certainly an admirable feat for the company to commit and produce affordable ventilators, making them more accessible, in the fight against Covid-19. With the growing presence of MNCs in Malaysia, domestic manufacturers in the medical device supply chain are also being recognised globally”.

Dato’ Martin Lim Soon Seng, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of K-One, acknowledged, “We are honoured to be selected and awarded the grant in this challenging recovery period. We believe that the demand for ventilators is always there, even though the Covid-19 pandemic has boosted its requirements.”

He added that the Government support will catalyse and accelerate K-One’s efforts in achieving its aspirations to produce a novel Made in Malaysia ventilator of international standards. The Government’s strong backing will not only nurture the local companies to develop indigenous technology, but also facilitate in uplifting local talents, enhancing supply chain competencies and foreign exchange earnings via export growth.

K-One MediTech expects to benefit commercially from the enhanced ventilators production, while contributing to the domestic and global supply chains. The country should also aim to be self-reliant in ventilator supply through domestic production capacity, crucial in times of crisis. The development and manufacturing processes may also nurture specialised local technical expertise through collaborations with local universities and/or university hospitals, including trainings on specific medical protocols by medical device specialists.

The Government’s continuous commitment to attract high technology investment is reflected through a significant growth of the Malaysia’s medical devices industry over the last few years. In 2020, the industry has contributed a total of RM6.1 billion worth of investments through 51 projects approved by MIDA. Today, Malaysia comprises over 200 manufacturers producing a broad range of products and equipment for medical, surgical, dental, optical and general health purposes. This has certainly made Malaysia an ideal investment destination, particularly as an outsourcing destination and a medical device manufacturing hub in ASEAN.

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About MIDA

About K-One

K-One Technology Bhd, with subsidiary, K-One MediTech Sdn Bhd and other subsidiaries (jointly referred to as K-One), is a technology solutions provider driven by electronic manufacturing services (EMS) with focus on healthcare, own brand medical devices and cloud computing solutions.

Media contacts:

MIDA:

Manjit Kaur Balkar Singh (Ms)

Email: [email protected] | Tel.: +603 2267 3509

K-One:

Choi Keng Mun

Email: [email protected] | Tel.: + 603 7728 1111

K-One Embarks on Ventilator Production, The First in Malaysia

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KUALA LUMPUR, 6 September 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) inks a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SIRIM Tech Venture Sdn Bhd (STV) to enhance technology adaption within the domestic investment landscape in Malaysia. The virtual signing between Mr. Sivasuriyamoorthy Sundara Raja, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Investment Promotion and Facilitation of MIDA and Mr. Ajmain Kasim Chief Executive Officer of SIRIM Tech Venture is seen as a significant milestone in the Government’s efforts to encourage industry players particularly domestic players and SMEs to step up into new technology and move towards implementing Industry 4WRD initiatives in their business processes.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA expressed in his opening remarks, “We welcome SIRIM Tech Venture (or STV), a wholly owned commercialisation arm of SIRIM, to work closely with MIDA’s Domestic Investment Coordination Platform (DICP) in identifying and matching companies to adopt new production solutions. As we can attest to, the COVID-19 pandemic has invoked unprecedented disruptions and transformed the global economy landscape into the new norms, where companies need to re-evaluate their business models, embark on Industry 4.0 transformation and digitalisation to remain relevant in the market”.

“With huge presence of foreign investment projects in Malaysia, it is significantly important for the domestic industry players to be tech savvy in contributing within the supply chain network and meet the expectations of their clients. STV is ready to provide technology transfer training, technology consultation and evaluation services by Certified STV analysts to industry players including domestic companies to adopt new models, higher level of efficiency and productivity”, Mr. Arham added.

MIDA’s DICP team has so far, successfully linked three local companies to STV to initiate:

Technical collaboration of a Virtual Pipeline System (VPS) in energy gas distribution for a bio-energy hub to monetise agricultural and industrial waste; while conducting pilot tests on the production of Bio Natural Gas (BioNG) from existing biogas power plants;
Orchard Management and Integrated Tracking System for durian harvesting and processed products; and
Technical advisory on renewable energy solutions on municipal solid waste, agriculture waste and livestock waste.

The presence of technical institutions such as SIRIM will certainly boost the support for companies’ technology adoption and technology expertise to progress into global outreach. Strategic collaborations contribute to the National Investment Aspirations (NIA) that foster innovation and sophistication, encourage sustained flow of quality investments in new and complex growth areas, create greater job opportunities and improve income prospects.

MIDA hopes the MOU would pave further feats for both parties to promote Malaysia’s technical expertise and to ensure easy access for the domestic companies to technology providers in their desire for higher efficiency and new business models. As a trusted business partner to investors, MIDA continues to facilitate domestic business networks.

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About MIDA

For more information, please contact :

Mr. Sukri Abu Bakar
Director, Domestic Investment and Supply Chain Coordination Division
03-2267 3685 | [email protected]

MIDA Inks MOU with SIRIM Tech to Enhance Technology Adaption Among Industries in Malaysia

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Kuala Lumpur, 18 August 2021 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and HSBC Malaysia yesterday renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reaffirming the strong partnership between both organisations to attract more global investments into Malaysia and to further facilitate the establishment and expansion of multinational corporations in the country.

The MOU focuses on revitalising and reforming Malaysia’s economy during and post-COVID-19 by maximising potential FDI opportunities into Malaysia, particularly in the manufacturing sector, namely the electrical and electronics, chemical, machinery and equipment, aerospace and medical devices industries. Despite the pandemic, these industries continue to play a critical role in propelling Malaysia towards strategic diversification to increase competitiveness, by focusing on complex, knowledge-intensive and high-end products and services.

Mr. Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA remarked: “This MOU echoes our National Investment Aspirations (NIA) framework to entice more higher quality investments, particularly in the areas of technology and innovation. Malaysia is, and will continue to be, a strategic business partner to businesses within ASEAN and beyond. We boast of a robust pool of talent and a well-diversified economy resting on the back of strong economic fundamentals. Moreover, Malaysia’s established local supply chain that is well-integrated into the global value chain, supported by a strong and matured local engineering support industry, are an undeniable pull factors for investors seeking to expand their production capacity efficiently and with ease.”

“This renewal of partnership with HSBC Malaysia signals MIDA’s prevailing commitment to better assist our investors and provide a stronger support as we weather the current pandemic wave. HSBC’s vast expertise in cross-border trade and investment will continue to be an invaluable addition to MIDA’s stakeholders to make well-informed investment decisions while conducting their businesses across various markets. This will ultimately enable a continuous sustainable stream of quality investment activities in the country,” Mr. Arham shared.

Mr. Stuart Milne, CEO of HSBC Malaysia said: “For more than 130 years, HSBC has played a pivotal role in Malaysia’s growth and development. Our history in Malaysia goes back to the very start of banking in this region. Then, as now, our role has been to foster the development of trade and investment between Malaysia and the wider world. As such, we value this significant partnership between HSBC and MIDA. Both organisations first stamped our long term partnership in 2016 showcasing the trust that MIDA places in HSBC as among the leading international banks in Malaysia.”

“As the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt across the globe and as businesses look to recover from the universal economic slowdown, we continue to remain committed to the nation’s agenda to make Malaysia a preferred destination for investment in Asia. With our international footprint, and access to key markets globally, we are eager to collaborate with MIDA on nation-building programmes to capture growth opportunities. We look forward to our enhanced partnership and exemplary collaborative accomplishments connecting global investors to MIDA,” added Mr. Milne.

This strategic public-private partnership will leverage on MIDA’s marketing and trade exchange initiatives, such as trade and investment missions, while capitalising on HSBC’s global presence with access to more than 90 per cent of global GDP through trade and capital flows as well as connectivity to global corporate customers in more than 60 countries.

With these combined capabilities, HSBC and MIDA will be holding virtual roadshows, joint seminars, conferences and round-table discussions. In 2020, several virtual investment roundtable meetings in key markets such as Netherlands, Germany, China, ASEAN and Europe took place to explore and assist companies in these countries to invest in Malaysia.

HSBC will work with MIDA to provide banking and finance services including FDI Advisory to companies venturing into Malaysia. In addition, HSBC is keen to connect with MIDA’s local and oversea offices, to be among the ecosystem partners in active markets such as Netherlands, Germany, China, ASEAN, Japan, USA and UK in disseminating information on FDI opportunities into Malaysia.

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About MIDA

About HSBC Malaysia

HSBC’s presence in Malaysia dates back to 1884 when the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited established its first office in the country on the island of Penang, with the permission to issue currency notes. HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad was locally incorporated in 1984 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, founding member of the HSBC Group. In 2007, HSBC Bank Malaysia was the first foreign bank to be awarded an Islamic banking subsidiary licence in Malaysia, namely HSBC Amanah Malaysia Berhad. HSBC Malaysia offers a comprehensive range of banking and financial services including Islamic financial solutions. HSBC Malaysia has also led innovation in Malaysia by introducing Malaysia’s first ATM and Electronic Touch Banking in the early 1980s. Today, HSBC Malaysia has launched innovative solutions such as HSBCnet for secure banking for businesses, Trade Transaction Tracker and Facial Recognition on supported mobile phones.

For media enquiries please contact:

Manjit Kaur (Ms.)

Email: [email protected] | DL: +603-2267 3509

Joanne Wong (Ms.)

Email: [email protected] | DL: +603 2075 6169

MIDA And HSBC Malaysia Renew Partnership To Attract More Global Investments Into Malaysia

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