By Christine T
KUCHING, Sept 29: Bintulu’s development of an industrial supply chain spanning ferroalloys, polysilicon, and other components supports the growth of Sarawak’s solar, electrical and electronics (E&E), and semiconductor industries while offering investors a broader supply chain.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the development of these industries was creating a wider industrial ecosystem in Bintulu, with companies already producing materials and components needed for downstream applications.
“Bintulu is one of the areas recognised by the World Economic Forum as a transitional industrial cluster,” he said when launching the Sarawak Global Supply Chain and Sourcing Programme 2026 at a hotel here today.
Awang Tengah, also Minister of International Trade, Industry, and Investment Sarawak (MINTRED), said companies involved in ferroalloys and polysilicon were producing materials relevant to developing products such as solar panels.
He said other companies were also developing components that could support the E&E and semiconductor industries, helping Sarawak build a more complete industrial ecosystem.
“These are all the products or the companies that develop certain components, even in the semiconductor industry.
“We are one of the areas in Malaysia, maybe in this region, around this region, that provides the whole supply chain,” he said.
He added this could also offer a cost advantage to companies operating in Sarawak by reducing the need to bring in materials and components from outside.
Awang Tengah said Sarawak’s economic transformation was creating opportunities across advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, green energy, downstream oil and gas and petrochemicals, green metals, hydrogen and clean technologies, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, aerospace, precision engineering, agriculture, and food manufacturing.
He said major investments in strategic industrial locations including Kuching, Bintulu, and Miri were creating opportunities for supporting industries and local enterprises.
Also present during the launch were Deputy Minister for International Trade, Industry, and Investment Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh; Permanent Secretary to MINTRED Datu Lester Matthew; and Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA) chief executive officer Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid. — DayakDaily
