Officiated by YB Tuan Sim Tze Tzin, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), the initiative underscored Malaysia’s commitment to deepening industrial linkages, enhancing SME capabilities, and advancing localisation efforts in the semiconductor sector.
Held under the theme “Grow Local, Compete Global,” the one-day programme brought together leading global semiconductor companies such as Micron, Intel, Infineon, Texas Instruments, TF-AMD, SanDisk and Lam Research alongside local SMEs. The event was attended by 170 participants, reflecting strong industry interest and engagement across both multinational and local players.
Aligned with Malaysia’s broader industrial agenda, including the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), SME–MNC Connect 2026 focused on addressing the gap between SME capabilities and MNC requirements. The programme provided SMEs with direct insights into procurement expectations, quality standards, vendor onboarding processes, market trends and key enablers for participation in global supply chains.
The main objectives of the programme were to support Malaysia’s government call to localise and minimize import, bridge the perspective gap between SMEs and MNCs for better alignment within the semiconductor ecosystem, demystify advanced packaging complexities and evolving industry demands, enable MNCs to share requirements and vendor onboarding processes with SMEs, and offer direct insights into the selection criteria and expectations applied by MNCs.
“MNCs gain a more agile, cost-effective and resilient supply chain. SMEs gain the mentorship and market access they need to grow. When you combine the global scale of MNCs with the flexibility and resilience of Malaysian SMEs, both sides can become more competitive and better equipped to thrive in an evolving industry,” said YB Tuan Sim Tze Tzin.
Participants also gained insights into advanced packaging and emerging technologies, presented by experts from Yole Group, NXP, and Silicon Connect, helping them better position themselves in high-value segments of the industry. Beyond knowledge-sharing, the initiative also emphasised meaningful engagement through a dedicated networking session, enabling SMEs and MNC representatives to connect directly, explore partnerships, and initiate further collaboration.
“A strong and competitive semiconductor ecosystem requires more than investments; it requires deep collaboration across the value chain. SME–MNC Connect is about creating that bridge, where Malaysian SMEs gain clarity on industry expectations while building the capabilities needed to meet global standards. Our goal is to support SMEs in moving up the value chain and becoming long-term partners within the global semiconductor ecosystem,” said Dato Seri Wong Siew Hai, President of MSIA.
SME–MNC Connect 2026 reflected MSIA’s continued commitment to supporting SME capacity building and strengthening Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem. As the industry evolves into advanced packaging, automation, and digitalisation, initiatives such as SME–MNC Connect remain pivotal in enabling Malaysian SMEs to enhance their competitiveness and integrate more effectively into global value chains.
