KUALA LUMPUR – The spread of the COVID-19 virus has impacted almost all industries globally. The electrical and electronics (E&E) sector is no exception with many organisations not being able to operate at full capacity due to workforce and supply chain disruptions.
Nevertheless, with containment measures likely easing in the second half of 2020, the local economic activity is expected to pick up and gradually improve, more so if the domestic movement control order (MCO) is lifted.
The E&E industry has been identified as a key sector that will assume a critical role in structural reforms as the economy moves towards the recovery and regrowth stage, with the Malaysian government emphasising on digital transformation.
SEMI Southeast Asia believes that the Malaysian E&E landscape will remain robust in the coming months, supported by the immense opportunities offered by the industry, especially with the rise in remote working, virtual learning and e-commerce.
These insights were shared during a webinar hosted by SEMI Southeast Asia, featuring Dato’ Azman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Mr Francis Tan, Investment Strategist of United Overseas Bank and Mr Paul Boudre, Chief Executive Officer of SOITEC.
According to Bee Bee Ng, President of SEMI Southeast Asia, “The global semiconductor market has shown early signs of resilience to the economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of this strength comes from the nature of the industry itself, which is present and plays a role in growing other vital sectors such as healthcare, automotive and retail. We foresee the E&E landscape in Malaysia stabilising in the coming months, on the back of demand for smart manufacturing capabilities, automation and technological innovations.”
“Malaysia remains competitive amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Our diversified economic structure and continuous support from the Government in balancing public health and the livelihood of the people, underpin the growth momentum of the country’s industrial capacity. To sustain our competitive advantages, the need to transform the Malaysian economy via digital empowerment is no longer an option. Digitalisation is crucial to future-proof our businesses,” said Dato’ Azman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).
Azman said that moving towards the goal, MIDA has taken a proactive step to embrace an innovative initiative by introducing Malaysia’s Lighthouse Project, a concept of modelling companies that have embraced digital manufacturing and globalisation 4.0 in their business model and their entire supply chain.
“Malaysia is moving ahead as one of the top global manufacturing nations through the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. We are also hard at work in assisting existing companies from various industrial sectors, including the E&E industry to transform and emerge as lighthouses,” he said.
Given this positive outlook for the industry, SEMI Southeast Asia will be organising a virtual SEMICON Southeast Asia 2020 which will run from 20-23 July 2020 at SEMICON West 2020 with industry leaders and subject matter experts discussing the latest trends, developments and innovations at the Southeast Asia Pavilion.
The online event will continue from 10-21 August 2020, with in-depth technical webinars focusing on trending topics such as sustainable manufacturing and advanced packaging.
Beyond a tradeshow, SEMICON Southeast Asia connect industry players, industry experts, SMEs, private-and-public partners as well as engineering graduates, and expounds the important need to collaborate in this growing industry.
Read more: Govt policies, economic, social systems key in driving digital economy — Saifuddin
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