Malaysia deepens electrical and electronics sector

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Malaysia has developed itself into an epicenter for semiconductor manufacturing for the last 30 years. In fast tracking up the value chain of Electrical and Electronics (E&E) industry, Malaysia has been involving in research, design and development.

The next focus areas are advanced analog, radio frequency, mixed signal and power management, IC design manufacturing and fabrication.

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) for Malaysia, Datuk Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili in his statement, has emphasized on the importance of human capital development in supporting the growth of E&E industry in Malaysia. Currently, the sector employs some 462,000 people or 43 percent of total employment in the overall manufacturing sector. In ensuring that Malaysia continue to be competitive, MOSTI collaborates with a network of global technology leaders to induce technology transfer and capacity building program.

MOSTI will also continue to provide tangible incentives on commercialization and innovation efforts, in supporting the designed and development of electronic products in Malaysia.

Through its key agencies including the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT), MIMOS, SIRIM and Technology Park Malaysia, MOSTI promotes international R&D alliances between Malaysian companies and leading-edge global organizations. This is to ensure the progression into the next-generation of semiconductors involving green initiatives, bio-electronics, nanotechnology, as well as migration towards integrated system solutions.

In effort to grow the E&E industry in Malaysia through innovative design and development, MIGHT, Malaysian Institute of Microsystems (MIMs) and International Society for Quality Electronic Design (ISQED) have taken a joint initiative to gather representatives from global E&E industrial entities and leading universities at the 1st Asia Symposium on Quality Electronic Design (ASQED '09) on 15-16 July 2009 in Kuala Lumpur. This initiative was supported by MOSTI and Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA).

ASQED '09 was intended to gather and share the electronic design knowledge in bridging the gap between electronic design tools and processes, to achieve optimum design quality. It is the first ever ISQED event held outside the United States, after being a successful and sustainable annual event in the in the United States for the past 10 years.

The symposium also involved the exchange of documents between ISQED and MIMs to mark the rights extended to the latter, to annually organise the ASQED event in Malaysia for the next four years.

The finale of ASQED 2009 was the Partnership Exchange session involving the Deputy Minister of MOSTI representing the Minister, ASQED Committee Members and notable industry figures on electronic design both locally and overseas. The session involved exchanges on impactful suggestions from the industry, as well as insights on MOSTI's direction in further deepening and strengthening the E&E industry in Malaysia.

In moving forward, the 2nd ASQED will be held in Penang, the 'Silicon Island' of Malaysia in July 2010.