Malaysia signs deal with British chip giant Arm to bolster semiconductor ambitions

KUALA LUMPUR: British chip giant Arm Holdings signed an agreement with Malaysia on Wednesday (Mar 5) to bolster the Southeast Asian country's efforts to produce high-end semiconductors amid the US-China tech trade war.

Malaysia is a key player in the vital chips sector but has been largely focused on packaging, assembly and testing services - the lower end of the market.

The agreement will see Softbank-owned Arm provide chip designs and other technology, helping Malaysia to move into more value-added production such as wafer fabrication and integrated circuit design.