Abstract

This webinar brings together industry leaders and policy experts to examine Malaysia’s evolving role in three strategically significant segments of the digital economy — semiconductor; rare-earth; and data-centre investment and operations.  It will discuss the factors and conditions for achieving sustainable business models in each sector, and how each sector serves Malaysia’s national economic interests.

The panellists will also explore how Malaysia has benefitted from commercial ties with both the United States and China, the technical and regulatory constraints now emerging from great-power competition, and the policy choices Putrajaya faces in protecting economic opportunities while managing security and export-control risks.

About the Speakers

Lim Wei Hung is the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Southern Alliance Mining Ltd (SAM), a Singapore-listed mining company which he led to IPO in 2020. He is also the co-founder of MCRE Resources, Malaysia’s first ionic clay rare earth project deploying in-situ leaching. An advocate for responsible mining, he contributes to ESG and environmental initiatives within the Malaysian Chamber of Mines and has authored several articles on Malaysia’s rare earth industry published in The Edge.

Andrew Chan Yik Hong is the Executive Director of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA). MSIA is the voice of the Malaysia semiconductor and electronics industry. Andrew leads MSIA’s strategic direction, policy advocacy, industry development, and international engagement. MSIA currently represents over 300 member companies from 20 countries, spanning the full semiconductor value chain.

Ong Kian Ming is an Adjunct Professor at Taylor’s University, Malaysia. He was a two-term Member of Parliament, for Serdang (2013-2018) and then Bangi (2018-2022). He was formerly Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia (2018 – 2020).  He was a Fulbright Scholar, and holds a PhD in Political Science from Duke University, an MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge, and a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics.

Qarrem Kassim is an analyst at ISIS Malaysia.  His primary research interests include the geoeconomics of critical minerals, international political economy, and the development of local MSMEs. His recent work focused on the development of Malaysia’s REE industry, government strategic plans for MSME development, formalisation of informal entrepreneurs and various sector-specific government development plans. He holds an MA in Economics from the University of Sydney.