Malaysia adds 80 engineers to front-end IC design roles in H1 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, 24 AUGUST 2026 —

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — Malaysia added 80 engineers to front-end integrated circuit (IC) design roles in the first half of 2026 as the country shifts from assembly to higher-value semiconductor activity.

Mida chief executive Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid said the success of Malaysia’s semiconductor push is measured by the skills built inside the country rather than the capital attracted.

“Every high-value engineering role represents knowledge transfer, skill development, and long-term capacity building for Malaysia,” he told the August issue of EdgeProp Malaysia.

Manufacturing led first-quarter approved investments with RM24.1 billion, of which RM6.0 billion came from the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector as part of RM92.8 billion in total approvals that will create more than 50,000 jobs nationwide.

GreatAsic’s latest intake includes Alia Abu Hassan, 25, a junior physical design engineer from Sungai Petani, Kedah. She said IC design lets fresh graduates take on technical responsibility early and support their families.

“It is not just about salary, it is about responsibility and the opportunity to take on real technical work early in my career,” she said.

Jeff Khoo, 49, a principal physical design engineer with two decades in global semiconductor companies, called the shift into front-end design a deliberate move to stay relevant in a fast-evolving industry.

Malaysia’s push is guided by the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and the National Semiconductor Strategy, which aim to move the industry from back-end activities—assembly, testing and packaging—into front-end design and system-level applications.

The global semiconductor market is projected to exceed US$1 trillion (about RM4.094 trillion) in 2026, driven by demand from artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, cloud computing and advanced computing systems.

Competition now hinges on where value is created in the supply chain and whether countries have the talent to capture it.

Mida is aligning education with industry needs through partnerships with the Ministry of Higher Education and its Malaysian Technical Universities Network (MTUN). Member universities include Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah.

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has invested in semiconductor laboratories and expanded programmes in E&E engineering, industrial physics and mechatronics to build pipelines in IC design, fabrication and embedded systems.

The Research and Industry-Infused Incubator (MRI3), led by Universiti Sains Malaysia, places students on structured industry projects to improve employability.

Technical and vocational education providers, including those under MARA and the Department of Manpower, are expanding STEM access and Bumiputera participation through partners such as BEYOND4.

GreatAsic’s collaboration with Xenith Technology Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the local unit of China-based Xenith, shows how policy translates into industry links. The partnership expands GreatAsic’s front-end IC design for AI and EV applications and supports entry into advanced driver-assistance systems.

Mida facilitated the tie-up as part of its role strengthening linkages across the semiconductor value chain.

Industry observers say Malaysia’s challenge is no longer attracting investment but sustaining progression into higher-value segments.

The expansion of IC design capabilities through collaboration and ecosystem alignment suggests this transition is already underway.