KUALA LUMPUR: Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has detailed how UK-based semiconductor giant ARM Holdings Plc (ARM) selected Kuala Lumpur as the site for its first Asean headquarters.
The development stemmed from discussions at the KL20 Summit last year, where ARM Limited Taiwan President CK Tseng participated as a panelist.
“At the end of the two-day conference, the Malaysian government and ARM agreed that we needed to do more. We required a deeper and more substantive collaboration, aligned with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s technological vision.
“This collaboration must focus on shifting our semiconductor ecosystem from OSAT to IP, developing indigenous technology, and enabling Malaysia to explore AI (artificial intelligence), robotics, autonomous vehicles, and IoT (Internet of Things),” he said in a post on his X account yesterday.
According to Rafizi, negotiations between the Malaysian government and ARM took place over several months.
During that period, he said, a collaborative model was developed that prioritised the entire ecosystem.
“This is not a temporary initiative or one reliant on cheap labour. It is not just about pursuing or upgrading technology, but a real technological leap,” he said.
“Of course, there will be sceptics questioning why the world’s largest chip architecture designer chose Malaysia.
“Indeed, this is the first time ARM has entered into such an agreement with a country,” he said.
When venturing into something unprecedented, he believes success depends on the right timing, the right location, and the right individuals working together.
If there is one lesson to take from this collaboration, he sees it as proof of Malaysia’s capabilities.
“We must believe in our own abilities and aspirations, knowing that Malaysia is ready to embark on this path,” he said.
Yesterday marks the launch of the strategic collaboration between the Malaysian government and ARM, officiated by the Prime Minister.
Among the key announcements made by the Prime Minister was the training of 10,000 local talents in advanced IC design to ensure a strong pipeline of skilled professionals in the country.
The collaboration will also grant selected Malaysian companies privileged access to ARM’s advanced technology and intellectual property (IP) portfolio.
Additionally, it will facilitate the development of locally designed semiconductor products, supporting the nation’s goal of producing more advanced chips in Malaysia.
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