By Dr Saat Shukri Embong, President and Group Executive Officer, MIMOS Berhad
There is a moment in the history of technology that remains etched in our collective memory.
A Nokia CEO once stood before the world’s media, with a steady voice but a heavy heart. He admitted defeat with words that still echo today:
“We didn’t do anything wrong… yet somehow, we lost.”
Those words were not just an admission. They were a warning. A reminder that yesterday’s success does not guarantee tomorrow’s survival.
At MIMOS, we have taken that lesson to heart deeply.
Part 1 – The Rise of MIMOS
Like Nokia in its prime, MIMOS too is a legend in its own right.
Since 1985, we have not just been an institution. We have been pioneers.
We built Malaysia’s first supercomputer.
We laid the foundation of the nation’s digital backbone.
We carried the banner of technological sovereignty long before it was fashionable.
Every line of code, every circuit designed, was dedicated to one purpose, to uplift Malaysia, to ensure our nation would stand tall in the digital era.
But history has taught us that no matter how great the past, the storm of change is always on the horizon.
Part 2 – The Lesson of Change
Nokia was not beaten by sturdier phones.
Apple and Android did not just create better hardware. They redefined the very meaning of a phone.
They sold ecosystems, experiences, and the future.
For MIMOS, our real risk is not slower chips or weaker software.
Our risk is that our research does not leap far enough ahead.
If our technologies remain trapped in labs and journals, never reaching the people, never transforming our economy.
We refuse to let that happen.
We cannot afford to one day say, “We did nothing wrong… and yet we lost.”
Because in today’s fast world, doing nothing wrong is no longer enough.
We must do the right things at the right time.
Part 3 – The Vision Forward
So how do we ensure MIMOS not only survives, but leads Malaysia into the future?
We have embraced four guiding principles:
1. Innovation as a Lifestyle
Innovation is no longer just a project. It is our DNA. Every research effort must be linked to real solutions, to commercialisation, to impact for the Rakyat.
2. Building Ecosystems, Not Just Products
We are not an ivory tower. We are the catalyst uniting academia, industry, and SMEs. Platforms like MIMOS’ Semiconductor Technology Centre (STC), Industrial Technology Innovation Centre (ITIC), Industry 4.0 Technology Acceleration Programme (I4TAP), Industry 4.0 Readiness Accelerator Platform (IR4DAP), the National Semiconductor Council (NSC), the National Digital Economy and 4IR Council (MDE4IR), and the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) are designed to empower thousands of innovators and entrepreneurs to fly higher.
3. Staying Ahead of Change
MIMOS is focused on frontier technologies, MEMS, GaN, Compound Semiconductor, Advanced Material, Blockchain, Quantum Intelligence, and AI. But we don’t just study them. We apply them in Malaysia’s context for Smart Secured Devices, Systems & Solutions such as Smart Manufacturing, Smart Cities, Smart Healthcare, Smart Farming and Smart Applications.
4. Redefining Success
Our true legacy will not be measured by patents alone. It will be measured by jobs created, enterprises born, and Malaysia’s pride raised on the global stage.
Part 4 – Call to Action / Emotional Peak
My friends,
Nokia’s story is a warning. But MIMOS’ story will be an inspiration.
We pledge to remain humble, restless, and determined. We will challenge the status quo every single day.
Our technologies will not remain in reports. They will transform lives.
We will not be remembered as ‘once great.’
We will be remembered as an engine of endless innovation, powering Malaysia’s sovereign, digital future.
So, let us walk this journey together.
Let us ensure that history will never say of us, “…somehow, we still lost.”
Instead, let history proclaim, loud and clear:
“Behold, we have built the future for our people.”
