‘Made by Malaysia’ plan targets premium tech, AI for developed status
One key aim in Malaysia’s new economic plan is to make premium semiconductors amid headwinds such as high US tariffs and stubborn inflation
“Malaysia needs to move from being just a consumer, to a technology leader and producer of world-class ‘Made by Malaysia’ products and services,” Anwar said in parliament.
The concept was first floated in January by then-economy minister Rafizi Ramli, in the context of developing local semiconductor chips and graphics processing units. It signals a shift from Malaysia’s traditional role as a chip assembler towards designing and producing high-value, locally developed products as it aims to become a key player across the full spectrum of the global semiconductor sector.
Anwar said that while Malaysia was proud of its position as the world’s sixth-largest exporter of semiconductors, amounting to over 600 billion ringgit (US$141 billion) in 2024, it must now move further up the value chain.