KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has launched a RM90 million Science Endowment matching fund to support the semiconductor sector, aiming to position the country as a global hub for advanced packaging technology — a field currently dominated by a few countries including Taiwan.
The fund is part of the government’s push to modernise Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) operations in line with the National Semiconductor Strategy.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the initiative will help meet rising global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips and boost Malaysia’s electrical and electronics (E&E) exports.
“This is not merely a government investment — it’s an open invitation for local industry players to step forward, explore new research opportunities, and innovate boldly,” he said.
Fadillah was speaking at the 30th Anniversary of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) and the 2024–2025 Fellowship Conferment Ceremony recently.
Also present were Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang and ASM President Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen.
He noted that Malaysia’s recent jump to 23rd in the 2025 World Competitiveness Ranking by the Institute for Management Development should serve as a springboard to deepen research–industry collaboration and advance homegrown technologies.
“We are at a crucial juncture — moving from a ‘Made in Malaysia’ model to ‘Made by Malaysia’ — as outlined in the 13th Malaysia Plan,” he said. “To realise this, ASM must unite expertise, coordinate resources, and strengthen partnerships across government, academia, industry, and communities.”
Fadillah also urged researchers to bolster regional collaboration under Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship this year. He highlighted ASM’s upcoming foresight report, ASEAN Ahead: ASEAN STI Ecosystem Foresight 2035 and Beyond, which will be launched at the ASEAN Summit in October and serve as a cornerstone for the ASEAN Plan of Action for Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI 2026–2035).
Meanwhile, Chang lauded ASM’s ability to bridge ministries and sectors with evidence-based research, calling it critical for resilient policymaking.
“This approach drives forward-looking decision-making at both federal and state levels,” he said, adding that ASM had significantly shaped MOSTI’s strategic frameworks — including the RDICE Roadmap, Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap, National Planetary Health Action Plan, and National Nuclear Technology Policy.
The ceremony also saw the conferment of ASM Fellow titles to three Senior Fellows and 63 new Fellows for 2024 and 2025 — comprising scientists, engineers, and technologists. ASM now counts 535 Fellows, including 30 Senior Fellows. The titles “Academician” and “FASc” are the highest scientific honours in Malaysia under the Academy of Sciences Malaysia Act 1994. – BERNAMA