Malaysia is making great strides in its effort to become a major player in the global semiconductor industry, but analysts warn it faces headwinds.
The government’s signing of a major deal with British chip giant Arm this month was the latest step towards achieving the country’s goal of producing its own top-end chips in the next five to seven years.
But experts say internal constraints such as a talent crunch, funding problems and other supply chain gaps are key hurdles the Southeast Asian nation must overcome if it is to compete with top regional industry giants such as Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.
Shafiq Kadir, an equity analyst at CGS International, said local integrated-circuit design houses had narrow access to large capital, and lacked a strong track record and an established pool of experienced engineers.
“We still lack sufficient talent, as our tertiary education is less prepared in producing graduates with the right skill set,” Shafiq said.
We lose an average 15 per cent of our talent … every year to brain drain
Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association President Wong Siew Hai also said there was a “shortage of those suitable for the specific experience and skill sets that we are looking for”.
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