Sarawak sees Korea industry body as key strategic partner in push for tech, semiconductor growth

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By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, June 2: Sarawak has taken another significant step towards realising its aspiration of becoming a regional high-technology and semiconductor hub through a strategic engagement session with the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association (KSIA) hosted by SMD Semiconductor in Seoul on Monday (June 1).

The engagement was led by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, alongside a high-level delegation comprising representatives from the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment Sarawak (MINTRED), Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development (MUDeNR), Sarawak Energy Berhad, InvestSarawak, SAINS, and Recoda.

The programme was supported by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority’s (MIDA) Seoul Office, which played a coordinating role in engagements with key semiconductor industry stakeholders, alongside MATRADE Korea in strengthening trade and business connectivity between Sarawak and the Republic of Korea.

In his remarks, Awang Tengah emphasised that Sarawak is intensifying international partnerships to accelerate technological development, attract high-quality investments, and strengthen its position in the global semiconductor value chain.

“Sarawak is undertaking a transformative journey to position itself as an emerging regional technological hub. Our focus is not only on investment attraction, but also on ecosystem development, talent nurturing, technology collaboration, and long-term industrial sustainability,” he said in a media release.

Central to Sarawak’s semiconductor push is SMD Semiconductor, a wholly owned Sarawak government company established in 2022 under the State Financial Secretary Incorporation (SFS Inc.). It serves as a boutique fabless semiconductor design house specialising in analogue and mixed-signal integrated circuit technologies.

These technologies support a wide range of applications, including modern electronics, industrial systems, clean energy infrastructure, artificial intelligence, smart systems, and future mobility solutions.

The engagement with KSIA forms part of Sarawak’s broader strategy to deepen collaboration with leading semiconductor economies and expand opportunities in strategic growth areas, including power management technologies, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced computing technologies involving NPU and GPU ecosystems, as well as satellite and low-Earth orbit (LEO) technologies.

Sarawak is also advancing initiatives in sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure and advanced digital systems to support future economic growth, data-driven governance, and high-value technology investments.

Recognising the Republic of Korea as one of the world’s leading semiconductor ecosystems, Sarawak views Korea and KSIA as key strategic partners for industrial collaboration, knowledge exchange, talent development, and ecosystem capacity building.

SMD Semiconductor chief executive officer Shariman Jamil said the organisation has now entered its second phase of development, shifting from foundational planning to execution and ecosystem expansion.

“SMD Semiconductor is now entering the next phase of its roadmap. The early groundwork and deliverables have been demonstrated, and our priority moving forward is execution — sustaining momentum, expanding strategic collaborations, and translating plans into measurable industry outcomes,” he said.

Meanwhile, KSIA Industrial Support Division executive director Jeon Jae-min welcomed the engagement, describing it as a meaningful step towards strengthening cooperation between Korea’s semiconductor ecosystem and emerging technology regions in Southeast Asia.

“Korea’s semiconductor industry continues to value international collaboration, particularly with partners demonstrating long-term commitment towards ecosystem development, innovation, and talent cultivation,” he said.

Last month, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that SMD Semiconductor would spearhead exploration of strategic partnerships with United Kingdom collaborators in satellite-grade semiconductor chip and system design, as well as potential development and launch of Sarawak’s first satellite.

SMD Semiconductor has also recently established collaboration with the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and Yayasan Sarawak, focusing on semiconductor talent development and knowledge exchange. — DayakDaily

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