Malaysia, Arm rev up IC Design capabilities for local companies via engagement session

The Sun

06-05-2025

PUCHONG: The Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park, in collaboration with the semiconductor company Arm, today kicked off its engagement session with over 20 local companies in its effort to shift Malaysia towards front-end integrated circuit (IC) microchip design.
Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation chief executive officer Yong Kai Ping said the engagement forms part of Malaysia's national strategy under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, which identifies the electrical and electronics sector as a critical engine of future economic growth.
'The Malaysia-Arm partnership is a catalyst for developing a vibrant semiconductor ecosystem where local innovators can thrive.
'Through access to world-class technology platforms and global best practices, we are empowering Malaysian companies to take ownership of their future in the global semiconductor industry,' said Yong at the Malaysia-Arm Partnership: Industry Briefing and Engagement Session here today.
The event is an important milestone following the landmark partnership between Malaysia and Arm, as announced on March 5, 2025.
It brought together policymakers, global industry leaders, and local semiconductor stakeholders for a day of strategic discussions, knowledge sharing, and ecosystem-building.
Yong said the engagement session will also take place in Penang and other states at least every month.
According to a statement following the event, the engagement session, among others, outlines the application process and qualifying criteria for companies to participate in a high-impact initiative, ensuring industry players are well-informed on how to engage with and benefit from the programme.
This includes highlights on Arm's flexible access (AFA) programme and compute subsystem (CSS) solutions, showcasing how Malaysian IC design companies could leverage Arm's cutting-edge intellectual property, including high-performing central processing units, graphics processing units, neural processing units, and advanced system interconnects.
'Arm's emphasis on common software standards and customisable hardware architectures offers Malaysian companies a trusted platform to innovate and differentiate in a rapidly evolving global semiconductor landscape,' it said.
Meanwhile, Economy Ministry special officer (policy) James Chai said that Malaysian companies have a better chance at qualifying for the AFA programme as it is aimed at companies that want to explore or prototype using Arm's intellectual property before committing to full licensing costs.
He said the programme typically operates on a subscription-based model with lower up-front costs and royalties only when one goes into production.
While CSS solutions come with higher up-front licensing fees because companies get a near turn-key system with higher engineering and support investment from Arm, he added.
The Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, designed to drive national growth in semiconductor innovation.
Located in Selangor, the park brings together anchor companies, startups, research institutions, and talent development programmes under one roof to accelerate Malaysia's leadership in IC design and advanced packaging.