On October 16, 2026, Malaysia presented six semiconductor chips developed by companies at the Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park. The initiative, showcased at the Selangor AI & Semiconductor Summit, aims to transition the country from assembly and packaging toward chip design and intellectual property ownership.
The chips are designed for artificial intelligence, automotive technology, satellite systems, and drone operations. The combined annual sales potential for these products is estimated at MYR 300 million, or approximately $74 million.
Specific developments include the MARS1000 chip by SkyeChip for edge-AI applications and an FPGA from SiliconX, described as the first homegrown version in Southeast Asia for industrial and automotive use.
These launches are part of the National Semiconductor Strategy. The government plans to establish 110 high-value local semiconductor companies and create between 300 000 and 500 000 tech-related jobs in the coming years.
To accelerate the design process, the government has established a collaboration with Arm Ltd. This partnership provides local firms with access to intellectual property and chip architectures to serve as foundations for their own designs.
