Trade war rejuvenates ‘Silicon Valley’ firms in Malaysia

Overwhelming orders: Hotayi opened its second plant, which is five times the size of the first one, as demand surges.

YEARS after resisting pressure to move to China, Lee Hung Lung says his bet has paid off. Sales at his Malaysia-based Hotayi Electronic are surging, it’s hiring more workers, considering an expansion and picking and choosing orders.

Lee is the founder and chief executive officer of Hotayi, whose two factories manufacture and assemble circuit boards and other electronics products. The plants are located in the coastal state of Penang, once called the “Silicon Valley of the East” for its massive 47-year-old electrical and electronics (E&E) industry before it lost its shine to China.