US firms in Malaysia may escape semiconductor chip tariff, says Tengku Zafrul

KUALA LUMPUR: Investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz is hopeful that some semiconductor manufacturers in Malaysia may be exempted from the 100% tariff the US has imposed on the import of semiconductor chips. Trump, who announced the tariff yesterday, said that it would not apply to companies that were already producing semiconductor chips in the US or...

Malaysia agrees to boost tech, LNG purchases from U.S. as part of trade deal

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will spend up to US$150bil in the next five years to buy equipment from U.S. multinationals for its semiconductor, aerospace and data centre sectors, part of a deal with Washington to cut tariffs, its trade minister said on Monday. The United States announced last week that it would impose a 19% tariff on...

Chip firms in Malaysia pause investment plans on tariff angst

Chip firms in Malaysia are holding back on investment and expansion as they await clarity on tariffs from the US, according to Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association President Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai. The companies are hoping that the US government would continue to exempt semiconductors from tariffs beyond Aug. 1, the deadline for higher levies announced...

Ringgit extends gains vs greenback amid tariff policy uncertainty

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar on Tuesday as market sentiment remained cautious amid ongoing inconsistencies in US import tariff policies, with the White House reportedly planning new levies on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. At 8 am, the local note rose to 4.4085/4215 versus the greenback from Monday’s close of 4.4100/4160. Bank Muamalat Malaysia...

Malaysia urges Chinese firms to avoid using it to dodge US tariffs

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has urged Chinese companies to refrain from using it as a base to "rebadge" products to avoid US tariffs, its Investment, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong (pic) said on Monday, amid increasing export restrictions and concerns of a US-China trade war. Washington is expected to further curb exports to Chinese semiconductor toolmakers...

Malaysia-Brazil partnership holds huge promise for E&E, semiconductor industry, says PM

RIO DE JANEIRO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the electrical and electronics (E&E) and semiconductor industries of Malaysia and Brazil to leverage each other’s strengths and enhance collaboration, particularly given the increasing prominence of the Global South. "Although we are from distant lands, the potential is immense. Brazil is a key pillar of...

BlackRock investments in Malaysia reach RM27.5bil, withdrawal will have negative implications

KUALA LUMPUR: The withdrawal of BlackRock's investment from Malaysia, if it happens, will have implications and negative impacts on efforts to realise the country's investment agenda, said Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. BlackRock is a shareholder in various listed companies worldwide, including sovereign funds from Saudi Arabia, the United...

Anwar to announce key strategies to uplift M’sia’s semiconductor sector, says Tengku Zafrul

KUALA LUMPUR: Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz announced on Tuesday (May 28) that new key initiatives will be unveiled to enhance the global footprint of Malaysia's semiconductor sector. The Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will make the announcement on Tuesday afternoon at SemiCon South-East Asia 2024. "It will be...

Five charged with gang robbery of semiconductor factory

IPOH: Five men were charged at a Sessions Court here for committing gang robbery at a semiconductor factory. Mohd Nizam Abd Rahim, 40; Junaidy Ali, 46; Muhamad Rozaidi Yusoff,42; Rizuan Mohamad Yusof, 32; and Zairul Nizam Mohd Sazali, 47; claimed trial to the charges before Sessions Court Judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamad on Tuesday (Oct 3). According to...