(Kuching, 25th) The establishment of a semiconductor laboratory in the United Kingdom is seen as a strategic move that will help strengthen Sarawak's position in the global supply chain of this high-tech industry.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari said this move not only enables Sarawak to collaborate with international players, but also further expand the scope of research and development.
“We must cooperate with other global players in order to broaden our reach in the semiconductor field. From another perspective, the research results conducted in the UK are expected to drive the future establishment of local wafer foundries in Sarawak.”
He made these remarks during a press conference after launching the keteq.GaN and keteq.ai power converters at the UK Microelectronics Exhibition yesterday.
The Sarawak Premier added that Sarawak is fortunate to have investors and strategic partners like X-FAB and Melexis, and also receives research support from the UK's Catapult.
He said that with new technologies such as keteq.GaN, Sarawak is capable of collaborating with X-FAB to develop local wafer foundries, further opening channels into the global value chain.
At the same time, the Premier also mentioned the Sarawak government's acquisition of FlyWing Airlines (also known as Borneo Airways), which will provide air cargo services to strengthen the logistics chain.
“With cargo services, we can deliver products to a market valued at about US$3 billion. Many investments are now focused on ASEAN, which will become the main buyers for our chips. However, we must design chips that meet current industry needs, especially in the automotive sector.”
He further noted that as the world accelerates its transition from fossil fuels to green energy, including hydrogen, this will drive demand for new types of chips.