SHAH ALAM: The development of the Selangor Integrated Circuit (IC) Design Park is expected to help reduce the issue of intellectual migration or 'brain drain' in the country's semiconductor industry, the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting was told.

Selangor Investment, Trade and Mobility Exco Ng Sze Han said the state government is targeting more locals who have migrated abroad to return and together develop the semiconductor industry because the sector offers higher salaries.

Ng said Selangor is also expected to enjoy various direct return on investment benefits such as foreign investment opportunities from international class semiconductor companies as well as international class venture capital companies to expand the IC design business.

"This includes the opportunity to open a processing factory in Selangor," he said in reply to a question from Ong Chun Wei (PH-Balakong) who wanted to know the economic spillover effect on the development of the IC Design Park that will be realised in Selangor at the DUN sitting here today .

In addition, Ng said infrastructure development is able to bring indirect investment returns such as the provision of high-income employment opportunities and local economic development including food and beverage, housing and transportation with the existence of high innovation talents.

He said the establishment of the IC Design Park was an important development in the Malaysian semiconductor industry, reflecting the strategic shift from 'Made in Malaysia' to 'Made by Malaysia'.

"This transition is important because it represents Malaysia's desire to improve the semiconductor value chain, moving from processes at the back such as packaging and testing, to IC design and innovation at the front (upstream).

"For local semiconductor players, this means greater opportunities to be involved in high-value designs, access to technology and collaboration with global and local technology leaders including MaiStorage which is a subsidiary of Phison in Malaysia, SkyeChip Sdn Bhd and the Shenzhen Semiconductor Industry Association," he said.

It was previously reported that the Malaysia Semiconductor Accelerator and IC Design Park: Selangor Hub developed in Puchong is capable of generating economic returns of up to RM1 billion.