By Safiuddin Che Suhaimin (Assistant Manager, Technology Advocacy & Industry Interest Group) MIMOS Berhad
The 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) sets ambitious targets for the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector as a key driver of economic growth. With export goals reaching RM865.9 billion by 2030, the focus is on semiconductors — the heartbeat of modern industries ranging from automotive to green technology. The government envisions Malaysia not merely as a global chip assembler, but as a leader in high-value, advanced technology products. However, to meet these targets, the country must move beyond downstream activities such as packaging and testing, and advance into upstream areas involving chip design, material development, and next-generation manufacturing technologies.
RMK-13emphasises semiconductor industry transformation through technology and intellectual property-based investments, strategic global-local partnerships, and the development of a highly skilled workforce — targeting 700,000 skilled personnel by 2030. Additionally, the R&D, commercialisation, and innovation (R&D&C&I) ecosystem needs to be strengthened to become more mature, progressive, and capable of generating marketable local IP.
MIMOS’ Potential in Empowering E&E Transformation under RMK-13
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ITIC (Industrial Technology Innovation Centre)
ITIC serves as a shared technology facility hub enabling industries—especially SMEs and local companies—to utilise advanced equipment without heavy investment in costly machinery. This shared facility approach allows companies to conduct product testing, development, and validation at lower costs and reduced risks. ITIC also provides technical support and acts as a collaborative platform between industry and local researchers, accelerating innovation processes.
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STC (Semiconductor Technology Centre)
MIMOS owns an industry-grade wafer fabrication facility built from the ground up, leveraging existing infrastructure and capital. With additional investment in specialised machinery and materials, STC supports prototype production and local chip development projects. Within STC, the FAMA and REL facilities play critical roles in ensuring local products are truly high quality and reliable. Failure analysis and material inspection help identify root causes of technical issues and prevent product malfunctions or failures during use. Reliability testing ensures products perform well under various real-world conditions throughout their lifecycle. Support from these facilities is vital in building confidence in “Made by Malaysia” products, demonstrating that they have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation in line with industry standards.
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R&D Expertise
MIMOS possesses deep expertise in advanced electronic materials research and development suitable for applications in the E&E sector, particularly for automotive electronic components requiring high durability and performance. To continue driving innovation, MIMOS is currently exploring and conducting preliminary studies in advanced packaging technologies as well as wide-bandgap materials such as SiC and GaN — two fields with significant growth potential in high-power, automotive, and renewable energy sectors.
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Talent Development
Through MIMOS Academy, hands-on training using real equipment enables local engineers to be industry-ready in a shorter timeframe. This program helps bridge the industry’s skills gap and accelerates the development of technical capabilities needed in the E&E sector.
Driving Potential, Creating the Future
Malaysia already possesses the facilities, expertise, and networks to implement many RMK-13 initiatives without starting from scratch. With existing infrastructure and capabilities, the challenge now is not rebuilding, but fully leveraging what is available to drive Malaysia towards the RM865.9 billion E&E export targets by 2030.
