Boost for Silicon Valley of the East

Masterplanning of Penang South Reclamation will prioritise bicycles and other green mobility devices to achieve a 70:30 modal share for trips that favour public transportation as opposed to private vehicles, which is an important component in the sustainability of a place.

CALIFORNIA-based Intel Corporation announced last month that it will invest RM30bil over 10 years to expand its manufacturing capabilities in advanced semiconductor packaging technology at the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone of Penang.

In his maiden visit to Malaysia in December since assuming the top job, Intel chief executive Patrick Gelsinger said the addition of advanced packaging capabilities to Intel’s operations in Malaysia will strengthen its supporting activities and its global service centre, with the investment positioning Malaysia is one of the key hubs for manufacturing and shared service – creating 4,000 Intel jobs along the way.

Intel is one of the “Samurai 8” of Bayan Lepas – along with AMD, Hewlett-Packard, Clarion, National Semiconductor, Hitachi, Osram and Bosch – a moniker given to companies that believe in the strategic location next to the Penang International Airport.