Malaysia: Malaysia should choose a specific sector within the semiconductor industry to focus on and strive to become a leader in that niche, setting itself apart from other ASEAN countries, said Basementality Sdn Bhd spot procurement manager Kirill Korbout. He emphasized the importance of specialization to enhance Malaysia’s position in the regional and global semiconductor market.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Korbout expressed that as Malaysia aims to lead the semiconductor sector, it must establish a mechanism to track and adapt to the industry’s dynamic changes. He suggested that exploring too broad a range of sectors, such as artificial intelligence chips for automotive and general electronic chips, could dilute the country’s focus and hinder specialization.

Korbout advocated for building an agile industry capable of quickly responding to global demand changes. He emphasized the need for leadership with strong foresight and confidence in decision-making to commit to a clear direction, alongside resilience to see long-term efforts through to fruition.

Addressing challenges in talent development, Korbout highlighted the lack of skilled manpower as a key barrier to achieving leadership in the semiconductor space. He suggested that while importing talent might serve as a short-term solution, Malaysia should focus on developing its own talent to prevent brain drain.

Korbout questioned whether the talent trained in Malaysia remains in the country or leaves for opportunities abroad. He called for government intervention to create an ecosystem that supports both small and medium enterprises and large corporations, while also facilitating the import of expertise to train the next generation.

Basementality, the company Korbout represents, focuses on project management solutions and staff augmentation services, providing tailored team expansions and expertise-driven support.