MICRON’S 45TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND LAUNCH OF 2ND SMART MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN BATU KAWAN
SPEECH BY THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW
MICRON’S 45TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND LAUNCH OF 2ND SMART MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN BATU KAWAN
13 October 2023
Micron Malaysia, Batu Kawan, Penang
Ms Lim Bee Vian
Deputy CEO of Malaysian Investment Development Authority,
Dato’ Loo Lee Lian
Chief Executive Officer of InvestPenang
Mr Gursharan Singh,
Senior Vice President. Global Assembly and Test Operations of Micron Technology
Mr Amarjit Sandhu
Corporate Vice President, NAND Assembly & Test Operations, and Micron Malaysia Country Manager
Mr Ramu Iyer,
Vice President, Micron Malaysia
Ms Daphne Au
Asia Senior Director for Government and Public Affairs of Micron Technology
Distinguished guests,
Members of the press,
Ladies & gentlemen,
Good morning to all of you.
It is an honour to be here this morning, celebrating Micron’s 45 years of leadership in technology and innovation and the launch of Micron’s 2nd Smart Manufacturing Facility in Penang. I would like to extend my appreciation to Micron for inviting me here today to be part of this significant milestone of yours.
As Micron marks your 45th anniversary this year, I am pleased to note that we are also celebrating 5 years of Micron’s presence here in Penang.
This latest smart manufacturing facility is an expansion of Micron’s site in Batu Kawan reflecting Micron’s confidence in the capability of our ecosystem to bolster the development of leading-edge technologies, hence encouraging us to further preserve and strengthen Penang’s semiconductor leadership. With this latest expansion, it brings the total factory space to 1.5 million square feet and records a total investment of USD 2 billion in Penang.
Ladies & gentlemen,
Over the past five decades, Penang has developed a robust Electrical and Electronics (E&E) ecosystem that withstood the global challenges.
Penang is now positioned as an advanced manufacturing hub, buoyed by the presence of industry leaders that have elevated the state’s manufacturing excellence. In particular, Penang commanded over 5 percent of global semiconductor exports and is also known as a key regional hub for front-to-back-end equipment manufacturing, serving the needs of the E&E industry along the value chain.
On the trade front, Penang has showcased growing significance in the country’s external trade. In 2022, the state reached an all-time high of RM463 billion in total exports with a 5-year compound annual growth rate of 15 percent. Notably, Penang’s contribution to the country’s E&E exports ranged between 55 – 60 percent over the past five years.
In terms of approved manufacturing investments, Penang recorded RM13.7 billion investments in 2022, of which 42 percent were contributed by the E&E sector.
In January till June 2023, Penang garnered RM4.3 billion of approved manufacturing investments, and E&E represented 28 percent of the said total.
The state’s commendable performance has demonstrated our significance to the nationwide economy, especially in the E&E sector. Above that, Penang pledges to hold a catalytic role in the IR4.0 transformation process and strive to make quantum leaps forward. On this note, the opening of Micron’s 2nd smart manufacturing facility in Penang definitely strengthens our position as the Silicon Valley of the East.
Ladies & gentlemen,
As we navigate emerging technologies and source for ways to move up the value chain, striking a balance between infrastructure development and social development is imperative in ensuring sustainable growth.
In line with the state government's commitment to building resilience, I am pleased to share that Micron Foundation recently contributed
RM 1.7million to the Resilient Cities Network (R-Cities). This enables a strategic partnership towards the development of a Resilience Strategy with the Penang State Government, alongside the appointment and training of Chief Resilience Officers, who will play a key role in championing and leading resilience initiatives in Penang.
The initiatives of R-Cities include protecting infrastructure, building community-level resilience, adapting to climate change, and future-proofing the economy against challenges. With this partnership, the City Council of Seberang Perai and Penang Island have become the newest members of the Resilient Cities Network, and aim to launch their first resilience strategy by early 2025.
In parallel to the industry growth, people are indeed our most valuable resource, and as a state, we recognise the urgency to enhance skills development for the digital era, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). I wish to take this opportunity to appreciate Micron’s active involvement in the state’s talent agenda, including Penang Science Cluster, Penang Math Platform, Penang STEM, and many other community organisations. These strategic collaborations exemplify the transformative power of meaningful public-private partnerships, ultimately translating into the betterment of our communities and country.
Before I end, I would like to thank both the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and InvestPenang for their concerted efforts in enabling strategic investments that accelerate national competitiveness, attract investments, and create jobs of the future.
I would also like to express my gratitude to the other relevant state agencies who work tirelessly to ensure business continuity and seamless operations for our communities and investors in Penang.
Once again, my heartiest congratulations to Micron for such an applaudable achievement. I look forward to the continued partnership with Micron, while the state advances towards becoming an inspiration for the nation, with meaningful efforts to drive economic growth and protect the well-being of the people.
My best wishes to all. Thank you.