JOHOR is moving quickly to position itself as a key player in the regional semiconductor supply chain, says state investment, trade, consumer affairs and human resources committee chairman Lee Ting Han (pic).
He said global investors had started visiting the four major industrial parks in Johor, as firms like Micron Technology expanded operations in neighbouring Singapore.
“The investors comprise semiconductor firms involved in memory chips, foundries and supporting services.
“Their interest reflects Johor’s growing role in supporting Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem under the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) framework,” he said.
Lee said that since Singapore already had a strong semiconductor foundation, Johor wanted to complement it by providing space for supporting industries and supply chain players.
“If these companies decide to invest in Johor, it will align well with our push for advanced manufacturing and strengthen Johor’s position as a regional industrial gateway,” he said.
Lee said Johor’s booming data centre sector had also created fresh opportunities for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).
“About 60% of Southeast Asia’s data centre projects are located in Malaysia, with 60% of those concentrated in Johor.”
He further said that Johor currently has 20 operational data centres, while eight are under construction and another 37 under review, bringing the total to 65 projects.
“This ecosystem will create demand for cooling systems, cable infrastructure, server room construction and other supporting services.
“We want local SMEs and talent to seize these opportunities and become part of this supply chain so that the economic benefits are felt across the state,” he said.
Lee said he also conveyed this at a forum organised by the Johor Baru Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attended by about 400 participants from the business community.
He said the state government was in the final planning stages of the Johor Economic Transformation Plan (JETP), aimed at turning Johor into a high-income state by 2030.
Lee said the JETP had identified eight priority sectors to drive growth – chemicals and petrochemicals, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, energy, electrical and electronics, aerospace, logistics, tourism and agriculture.
“Johor has already emerged as a regional leader in sustainable aviation fuel production, while several large-scale energy projects are also underway in Segamat, Kota Tinggi and Pengerang.
“The electrical and electronics sector will be crucial in supporting semiconductor and artificial intelligence growth, while aerospace is expected to expand in Kulai,” he said.
He added that Johor’s development agenda under Maju Johor 2030 was not solely focused on investment figures, but also on ensuring growth translated into better infrastructure, job opportunities for locals and broader benefits for communities across all districts in the state.
