Penang: Penang's long-established electrical and electronics (E and E) ecosystem highlights the importance of other Malaysian states building on their own strengths under the National Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030, said InvestPenang. NIMP 2030 is Malaysia's national industrial policy, led by the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI), to upgrade manufacturing and related service sectors through higher value creation, technology adoption, and sustainability from 2023 to 2030.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, InvestPenang is the state government's non-profit entity purposed to promote investments within Penang. Its chief executive officer, Datuk Loo Lee Lian, emphasized that Penang's E and E ecosystem has been developed over more than five decades, underscoring the role of long-term industrial development in supporting national industrial goals.
'While the federal government has identified key focus areas under the NIMP 2030, it is important for each state to recognize its own capabilities and build on its competitive advantages. By doing so, states can benefit from NIMP 2030 while collectively contributing to a more resilient national industrial ecosystem,' she told Bernama.
On Penang's contribution to Malaysia's industrial growth, Loo stated that the state continues to move up the value chain, particularly in E and E, machinery and equipment, global business services, and medical devices. From 2020 to September 2025, Penang accounted for more than 60 percent of Malaysia's total E and E and medical-related exports, with approved manufacturing investments during the period totaling RM156 billion in E and E and RM3.7 billion in scientific and measuring equipment.
Loo highlighted the spillover of Penang's E and E and electric vehicle (EV)-related manufacturing activities into neighboring states, reflecting the maturity of Penang's industrial ecosystem and supporting regional integration. 'This regional clustering allows Penang to complement, rather than compete, with surrounding states by deepening specialization, enhancing overall competitiveness, and strengthening integrated supply chains across the corridor,' she said.
Collectively, this reflects the Northern Corridor's role as an integrated industrial cluster within the national framework. On federal-state coordination, Loo stressed the importance of alignment between national policy direction and state-level execution in ensuring NIMP 2030 delivers tangible outcomes. 'Close coordination helps reduce red tape for investors, align timelines, and ensure infrastructure and utilities are ready when investments materialize. When federal and state efforts are well-synchronized, NIMP 2030 can move beyond policy intent to real, on-the-ground impact across the country,' Loo said.
She mentioned that Penang currently hosts more than 350 multinational corporations and about 6,500 manufacturing-related small and medium enterprises (SMEs), many of which are integrated into global E and E and semiconductor supply chains, either directly or through linkages with multinational firms. 'Through InvestPenang, the state continues to encourage greater supply chain localization by facilitating closer collaboration between MNCs and local SMEs, including through supplier days and business matchmaking sessions. These efforts aim to progressively strengthen SME capabilities and enhance their participation in higher value segments of the global supply chain,' she concluded.