Penang’s semiconductor industry moves from assembly to R&D
By Ong Wooi Leng
April 2015 PENANG ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
From low-skilled labour-intensive activities to highskilled product development, Penang’s semiconductor scene has transformed itself – and with great success.Since the opening of Malaysia’s first Free Industrial Zone in the 1970s, Penang’s economy has been thriving, based on export-oriented labor-intensive manufacturing activities. Since then, a row of mostly American, Japanese and Taiwanese E&E MNCs has been established here – Intel, Motorola, Altera and ASE electronics, to name a few.It is noteworthy that almost all these MNCs are still operating, and many...
Ong Wooi Leng
heads the Socioeconomics and Statistics Programme at Penang Institute. Her work lies in labour market analysis and socio-economic development.
