Malaysia to train 60,000 engineers in bid to become chip hub

Government to allocate $5.3bn in new National Semiconductor Strategy

20240528 Anwar Ibrahim at a semiconductor event in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at a semiconductor event in Kuala Lumpur on May 28. (Photo by Norman Goh)

NORMAN GOH, Nikkei staff writer

May 28, 2024 16:35 JST

Updated on May 28, 2024 16:47 JST

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia plans to train 60,000 high-skilled local semiconductor engineers to help the country achieve its ambition of becoming a global chip hub, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced Tuesday.

The Southeast Asian country has been working to foster the semiconductor industry, positioning itself as a neutral hub for manufacturers, as global companies diversify their supply chains amid the growing U.S.-China rivalry and other geopolitical tensions.