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Intel Steps Up Local Investment

Posted on: Monday, 12 December 2005, 03:01 CST

By Izwan Ismail

CHIP maker Intel Corp has underlined its confidence in Malaysia with a new investment initiative valued at US$230 million (RM868 million) for a new plant in Kulim, Kedah.

The plant which will be Intel's sixth operational centre in Malaysia, is expected to create 2,000 jobs when it begins operation in 2007. It will house an assembly and test site, and a design and development centre.

According to Intel's chairman Craig Barret, the new investment reflects Malaysia's growing importance to the company's overall operation.

"Malaysia has already become the largest operation site for Intel outside the US. There are 10,000 employees here doing a wide spectrum of activities from product assembly, engineering, to business operations," he said in Petaling Jaya last week.

Barret added that looking forward, Intel will continue to grow its capabilities in Malaysia, especially in engineering and product development, as opposed to just assembly operations.

He said the new investment has strategic value to Intel not only from a business perspective, but also in terms of the people it will hire. "The country's increasing technically-skilled workforce availability has also allowed Intel to expand its operations here and help serve its customers worldwide," he said.

Besides investing in factories and design centres, Barret said Intel is also stepping up its effort to build the information and communications technology (ICT) ecosystem for the future. This include growing the country's ICT workforce and IT infrastructure.

"Intel is working with the Education Ministry to help grow Malaysia's globally competitive ICT workforce. Through the Intel Teach to the Future programme, we have trained more than 30,000 Malaysian teachers to use technology to improve student learning," he said, adding that 150,000 teachers have been trained in the region through the programme.

"Effectively integrating technology into the classrooms opens up new and exciting learning opportunities, giving young people the knowledge and skills to compete in an increasingly complex world."

He also recognised recent progress made by the governments in Southeast Asia to boost the region's social and economic strength. One example he cited was Intel's d-ASEAN, the vision of connected villages, provinces, cities and countries that will lead to a more digitally integrated Southeast Asia region.

The effort will help bring a new standards-based wireless broadband connectivity to Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines by the end of this year, with Indonesia and Vietnam coming on board in 2006. WiMAX, based on the 802.16 standard, will provide greater broadband connectivity over longer-range distances, enabling the delivery of technology to areas previously not served.

"Our goal is an integrated region of connected villages, municipalities and countries that enjoy the full capabilities of technology," Barrett said. "Through infrastructure enablement and broadband initiatives, Intel is committed to transforming Southeast Asia into a region of digital nations where technology is available, accessible and affordable to everyone," he said.

Currently, Intel is working with local telecommunication providers on a WiMax trial in Seremban, after a successful WiMax showcase in Kepala Batas, Penang during the recent MSC IAP meeting.

Source: New Straits Times

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