By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 24: Sarawak is set to activate its bold vision of becoming a global semiconductor powerhouse, as key findings and strategic outcomes from the Sarawak Semiconductor Syndication Session, including the proposed establishment of a Sarawak Silicon Longhouse, will be formally presented to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on Aug 14.
According to a media release on Wednesday (July 23), this milestone marks a major step in operationalising the Sarawak Semiconductor Roadmap 2030, following an intensive high-level workshop that gathered 50 top stakeholders from federal and state ministries, government agencies, industry, and academia.
The session held on July 21, led by Sarawak Microelectronics Design (SMD) Semiconductor, focused on co-designing actionable strategies under three thematic pillars: Industry Development, Innovation & Technology, and Talent Ecosystem & Sector Enablers.
Among the key strategic outcomes are 14 integrated strategies to spur economic growth, enhance talent pipelines, promote research and development (R&D) and artificial intelligence (AI) integration, increasing IP generaton and commercialisation, and strengthen sustainability practices across the semiconductor ecosystem.
These strategies aim to attract global investors, create high-value jobs, and build Sarawak’s capacity as a serious player in the international semiconductor value chain.
SMD Semiconductor chairman, Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar, lauded participants for grounding the roadmap in practical strategies that align with Sarawak’s industrial aspirations.
“This roadmap marks the beginning of a transformative journey for Sarawak’s semiconductor industry. As we move forward, it is critical that our strategies remain actionable and our goals realistic. Only then we can truly shape Sarawak’s position in the global semiconductor space,” he said.
A central outcome of the session is the proposed Sarawak Silicon Longhouse, envisioned as a catalytic hub for infrastructure, innovation, and industrial integration. The longhouse concept reflects a uniquely Sarawakian approach to ecosystem building, combining cutting-edge facilities with cultural identity to foster collaboration and growth across the semiconductor value chain.
SMD Semiconductor chief executive officer (CEO), Shariman Jamil, said the upcoming presentation to the Premier is not merely a policy checkpoint but a defining moment in the blueprint’s activation.
“With all key stakeholders aligned, we are now moving forward with greater unity to position Sarawak as the Silicon Nerve Centre of Asia. The Sarawak Silicon Longhouse will be a cornerstone initiative to catalyse infrastructure development across the value chain in realising that ambition,” he stressed.
This initiative also embodies the Premier’s broader vision of a future-ready Sarawak, where coordinated policy, innovation, and talent development are leveraged to move beyond a conventional resource-based economy into a competitive, knowledge-driven one.
Abang Johari has consistently emphasised the need for collaboration between government, academia, and industry to chart Sarawak’s transformation. He has urged all stakeholders, from researchers and investors to policymakers, to rally behind the roadmap as a shared guide for progress.
The syndication session, jointly organised by SMD Semiconductor, the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD), and the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED), builds upon the Premier’s launch of the Sarawak Semiconductor Strategic Framework and Roadmap 2030: Beyond Moore’s Law at CSA Catapult in Wales on April 29, 2025. — DayakDaily
