The vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, recently played host to SEMICON Southeast Asia 2024, a premier event for the electronics industry in the region held at MITEC the largest trade and exhibition centre in Malaysia, with a total gross floor area of 141,060 square meters. This year’s theme, “Boosting Agility and Resiliency of the Global Electronics Supply Chain,” spotlighted critical areas driving the semiconductor industry, including sustainability, smart manufacturing, and workforce development.
SEMICON Southeast Asia 2024 saw participation from over 500 companies and more than 1,000 booths, doubling the scale of the previous edition. The event attracted participation from leading semiconductor nations, including China, Europe, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwana diverse audience, including industry leaders, government officials, and experts, all eager to discuss the future of the semiconductor industry. Key focus areas included electronics and electrical (E&E) sectors, unmanned aerial vehicles, electric/autonomous vehicles, and medical technology.
This year’s event featured over 1,000 booths, a significant increase from the previous edition, reflecting the growing interest in the region’s capabilities. Anticipating more than 20,000 attendees, SEMICON SEA 2024 attracted .
The event commenced with an inspiring opening speech by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He emphasized Malaysia’s ambitious goal to become a global hub for semiconductor research and development. Unveiling the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS), the Prime Minister outlined a strategic plan focusing on three key phases: integrated circuit design, advanced packaging, and manufacturing equipment. This initiative aims to foster an ecosystem integrating world-renowned universities, corporate R&D facilities, and internationally acclaimed centers of excellence.
“Semiconductors are, indeed, the new oil!” says YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade & Industry (MITI). “The empowering influence of the semiconductor industry extends to global supply chains, trade policies, and international relations – creating competitive advantages for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in various industries. Such influence – once dominated by oil – has shaped the geopolitical dynamics among superpowers in recent years”.
With more than 18,000 participants from across the globe converging in Kuala Lumpur, the event not only underscored the dynamism of the semiconductor sector but also highlighted Southeast Asia’s burgeoning influence in driving the global electronics landscape forward.
“Southeast Asia is well-positioned to help accelerate the semiconductor industry’s unprecedented growth driven in part by game-changing innovations such as GenAI,” said SEMI President and CEO Ajit Manocha. “With the diversification of supply chains afoot, the region’s skilled workforce, robust infrastructure and rising foreign direct investment are positioning it to become a critical hub in the global chip ecosystem. We’re excited to host key industry stakeholders as they come together at SEMICON Southeast 2024 to drive the sector forward.”
“As we navigate through challenges and opportunities in the semiconductor landscape, events like SEMICON Southeast Asia play a crucial role in fostering dialogue, partnership, and innovation. The growth in participation this year reflects the growing relevance of this event and the collective commitment to advancing the semiconductor ecosystem in Southeast Asia and beyond.”
Event Highlights and Achievements
Day 1 of SEMICON Southeast Asia 2024 ended on a high note with an exclusive gala dinner where attendees connected with fellow professionals in the sector. Special thanks were given to Mr. KC Ang, Chairman of SEMI SEA Regional Advisory Board and Chief Manufacturing Officer of GlobalFoundries, who welcomed the attendees. Congratulations were extended to Mr. Chu Jenn Weng, CEO of Vitrox, recipient of the Industry Leader of the Year Award, and the winners of the Emerging Young Leaders Award.
- Regional pavilions from leading semiconductor regions such as China, Europe, Malaysia, Netherlands, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
- New programmes such as the Semiconductor Regional Human Resource Forum, TechIDOL Competition, Malaysia Sourcing Pavilion, Chiplet Technology and Heterogeneous Integration Summit, and INVEST@Southeast Asia. Two new roundtable discussions – Forging Forward: Strengthening Malaysia’s Position in the Global E&E Value Chain and COLLABORATE@Southeast Asia
- Diverse forums focusing on Market and Industry Trends, Sustainability, Chiplet Technology and Heterogeneous Integration Summit, Advanced Product Testing Forum, and Smart Initiatives such as Smart MedTech, Smart Mobility , and Smart Enterprise.
- CxO Summit themed Boosting Agility and Resiliency of the Global Electronics Supply Chain.
- Workforce development featuring a career fair and expert presentations
- Industry Gala Night for attendees to connect with industry leaders and experts and network to establish new connections.
- Prestigious Industry Leader Award and Emerging Young Leader Award
SEMICON Southeast Asia 2024 is made possible by strategic partnerships with the Invest Selangor, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), and Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).
The final day focused on mapping out long-term sustainability visions and charting the course for the semiconductor industry’s future. Through extensive dialogues involving industry leaders, researchers, and partners, concrete strategies for sustainable development were formulated. Meanwhile, at FPT Semiconductor’s booth, ongoing interest persisted as numerous visitors eagerly engaged with the “make in Vietnam, made by FPT” chip technologies and explored potential avenues for collaboration.