Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that Arm Holdings Plc, a UK semiconductor company, is set to finalize an agreement to establish a base in Malaysia next week. He noted the importance of providing a skilled workforce to meet investment demands and acknowledged Malaysia’s political stability as a key factor in attracting such investments.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that Arm Holdings Plc, a prominent semiconductor firm from the United Kingdom, is expected to finalize an agreement to establish its operations in Malaysia next week. During an online conversation with Arm’s Chief Executive Officer, Anwar indicated that Masayoshi Son, the CEO of SoftBank Group Corp, also joined the discussion. Anwar expressed optimism about finalizing the agreement, stating, “Insya-Allah, we will finalise the agreement next week, and it will be signed.”
The Prime Minister emphasized the significance of Arm’s choice to base itself in Malaysia, stating that the company is among the world leaders in semiconductor design and manufacturing. He remarked, “Arm has chosen to base itself in Malaysia, Alhamdulillah.” Anwar attributed these foreign investments to Malaysia’s political stability and well-defined policies that encourage such initiatives.
Nevertheless, Anwar acknowledged the challenges ahead, notably the need to cultivate a sufficient supply of young, professional workforce to meet the demands of such significant investment. He remarked, “This is a major test — can we provide tens of thousands of young professionals?” Anwar stressed that possessing a competent professional workforce is critical to successfully attracting substantial investments.
Arm Holdings Plc, headquartered in Cambridge, England, specializes in semiconductor and software design, primarily focusing on designing central processing unit architectures that embody the Arm instruction set. The anticipated agreement marks a significant milestone in Malaysia’s journey toward enhancing its technological landscape.
The upcoming agreement between Arm Holdings Plc and Malaysia represents a significant advancement in the country’s semiconductor industry. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim highlighted the importance of this partnership for Malaysia’s economic development. While the agreement signals a strong investment outlook, challenges in workforce development remain a concern that policymakers must address effectively.
Original Source: theedgemalaysia.com
