Kuching: SMD Semiconductor Sdn Bhd, a company fully owned by the Sarawak government, has joined forces with Rebellions Inc, a prominent AI chipmaker from South Korea, to enhance AI chip design and semiconductor development. This collaboration aims to position Sarawak as a leader in Asia’s rapidly expanding AI sector.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, this strategic alliance is a significant step towards Sarawak’s ambition to become a major player in the global semiconductor and AI ecosystem. The partnership was emphasized during a courtesy call by Rebellions Inc on the Sarawak Premier, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, at his office.
‘Rebellions Inc’s visit follows a strategic engagement by Sarawak’s delegation to the company’s headquarters in Seongnam City, South Korea, on October 1, led by Deputy Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel,’ SMD Semiconductor stated in a release.
The alliance will be formalized with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) exchange at the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2025, to be witnessed by Abang Johari on October 22 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching.
During their visit to Kuching, the Rebellions delegation, led by CEO and co-founder Sunghyun Park, along with InterVest Co Ltd’s co-CEO Chung Hee Woo and Director John Ha, gave a presentation on the company’s growth prospects and potential collaborations with Sarawak. This provided the Premier with insights ahead of his keynote speech at the ASEAN Conference on AI Adoption.
Rebellions Inc, a leader in AI accelerator and High Bandwidth Memory technologies, designs customizable processors known for their efficient AI performance. Their collaboration with SMD Semiconductor, Sarawak’s fabless chip design house, marks a significant step in cross-border innovation and competition with industry leaders like Nvidia Corporation.
Abang Johari expressed confidence in the collaboration aligning with Sarawak’s goal of developing the Integrated Longhouse Silicon Valley, an ecosystem for technology and innovation. He emphasized that partnerships like this are crucial for elevating Sarawak’s position in the global semiconductor value chain.
Wan Lizozman, SMD chairman, stated that the partnership is a crucial step in Sarawak’s aspiration to become Asia’s silicon nerve center for advanced chip design. He emphasized that by joining forces with a global AI leader, Sarawak is not only participating in the industry’s growth but also shaping it.
SMD Semiconductor CEO Shariman Jamil described the collaboration as a milestone for Sarawak’s semiconductor ambitions. He highlighted that this alliance would set new standards for performance and sustainability, establishing Sarawak’s place in the global semiconductor innovation landscape.