KUCHING: X-FAB Sarawak’s RM3 billion capacity expansion at Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone is a clear testament to global investors’ continued confidence in the state’s investor-friendly policies, stability and growth potential.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg said the expansion will raise wafer production from 30,000 to 40,000 per month, with future plans to reach 50,000 wafers monthly.
“This expansion is not only a significant milestone for X-FAB but also highlights Sarawak’s growing role in the global semiconductor ecosystem.
“The increased production capacity will support a wide range of applications, from automotive and medical technologies to industrial systems, as well as communication and consumer products.
“These sectors are critical to shaping modern life, and we take great pride in knowing that components manufactured in Kuching, Sarawak, are and will continue to drive solutions and innovations used worldwide,” he said.
He was speaking at the inauguration of X-FAB Sarawak’s new building, officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at Persiaran Silicon, Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone, on Friday.
Abang Zohari added that nearly 95 per cent of X-FAB’s workforce are Sarawakians, many of whom are not only employees but also engineers, managers and leaders in the semiconductor industry.
He stressed that the Sarawak Government is not just hosting high-value investments but also providing a complete ecosystem, including modern infrastructure, competitive hydro-based green energy, and talent development.
To date, Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone has attracted investments worth RM15.4 billion and created more than 15,000 jobs.
The Premier further noted that the State Government continues to strengthen human capital through various initiatives, including investments in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), industry-driven training programmes and the rollout of the Free Tertiary Education Scheme at state-owned institutions starting next year, with an emphasis on STEM and professional fields.
He also highlighted the Sarawak Semiconductor Roadmap 2030, which targets RM2 billion in investments, 3,000 high-skilled jobs, the commercialisation of new intellectual property, strategic collaborations with more than 10 global companies, and the training of 3,000 local graduates under talent development initiatives.
In addition, he said Sarawak has forged international collaborations with X-FAB in Dresden, Germany, Cambridge Microelectronics, and CSA Catapult to develop Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based chips for next-generation applications, with plans to transfer this technology to Sarawak in the future.
Also present were Sarawak Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Datuk Amar Professor Dr. Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr. Hazland Abang Hipni, and DeputyMinister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh. -UKASnews
