Dato’ Seri SH Wong - One of Every Five Graduate Engineers Leave Malaysia for Better Opportunities

#chips #semiconductor #electronics

Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) President Dato’ Seri SH Wong - One of Every Five Graduate Engineers Leave Malaysia for Better Opportunities

Penang, in Malaysia’s Northern Region, is a key player in the global semiconductor industry’s value chain, with major players like Intel and Hewlett-Packard investing in the state since the 1960s. Currently, Penang contributes in the region of 5% of the global export value.

But the state is struggling to meet a boom in global demand for semiconductors, due to a critical shortage in skilled engineers, thanks to a cocktail of factors. Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association President Dato’ Seri SH Wong, addresses these issues

CONTENTS
00:02:04 - Who is Dato Sri SH Wong?
00:03:03 - Why Intel Founder Andy Grove Chose to Invest in Penang in the 70s
00:04:57 - Moore’s Law: Still Applicable?
00:06:23 - The Mag7 and Nvidia: How Data Drives the World Today
00:07:11 - Difference Between Nvidia Chips and Intel’s Chip?
00:08:23 - What’s Driving The Shortage of Engineers in Malaysia
00:11:23 - What Skills Are Needed?
00:13:24 - What Skills Are Most Needed Right Now?
00:14:38 - Which Comes First? Investment or Skills?
00:17:53 - An Easier Way to Fill the Skills Shortage Is ..
00:18:42 - Where Are the Blockages?
00:19:30 - Malaysia's Mid-Technology Gap
00:21:20 - Where Malaysia Can Supply Tesla or Nvidia
00:24:24 - How To Get Kids More Interested in Science and Maths
00:26:34 - How to Spark the Spirit of Enquiry
00:29:57 - We Lose A Lot of Engineers to Other Countries
00:33:15 - Chip Makers Like Nvidia and TSMC Are Companies of National Importance
00:37:14 - Taiwan’s Technology has Consumer AND Military Applications
00:38:04 - The Possibility of War Has Businesses Scrambling for a Plan B
00:39:48 - South China Sea and Straits of Malacca: How Important Are These Waterways, Choke Points?
00:41:00 - Geopolitics and War: Threat or Opportunity?
00:42:38 - Who Are the Competition?
00:45:09 - Dato Sri’s Life Lesson #1: Resilience
00:46:44 - Dato Sri’s Life Lesson #2: No Limitations
00:46:53 - Dato Sri’s Life Lesson #3: Adaptability

FOLLOW DATO SRI WONG HERE:

Links to bio:

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[DoMoreToday.Official]

Hi everyone
I hope you’re enjoying the conversations I’ve been having with the guests on the channel: if you have, my heartfelt thanks to you for giving me your attention and time: I truly am most grateful.
You’ll be glad to know, however, that I’d like this channel to keep getting larger and larger.

By that I mean, to be able to have the chance to speak to clever people of high integrity not just here in Malaysia but elsewhere in the region as well, as Asia grows in stature around the world.
And that means The Do More Podcast channel has to be more .. influential.
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Stay safe, be well and seize the day! Carpe Diem!!
Bests .. Chuang

[jasonwong]

My own son studied electrical and electronic engineering in UTM years ago. At the time there was a call for him to teach mathematics and science to freshman entering the faculty as having of them were admitted due to quota although ill prepared for the course. However he did not take up the offer. He graduated top of the class. His first employment was in Singapore and has remained till now and even renounced his Malaysian citizenship.

[tryteer]

My first salary 30 years ago as engineer was 2.2K. At that time, a plate of char kuey teow was less than 2. Engineers now with starting pay at 3.5K, and a plate of char kuey teow is 7+. Salary is the main issue. If manpower cost is the main attractive point for investment, the salary of engineers won't increase.

[yummymummum]

I love this but the mic set up has to be improver. However voice for Dato Sri SH is clear

[CurryKhoo]

Great insight. We are seeing Semicon in this Country growing.. from Penang to Kulim, and now Selangor and Kuching. Exciting time.

[jamestcwong]

Nice one, thanks! Host’s audio can be improved, jia you! 😀

[soosainathan]

I have come to believe that the development and prosperity of a country is very dependent on the quality of politicians and governance.
Semi conductor industry has been in Penang since 1970’s. After 50 years and much advancement in the industry we are still playing catch up.

[kingsley-tk]

just tried to worked with a big Malaysia semicon factory Senior engineer, couple of issues, one of it is drawing shows a mm hole (standard is just 1 or 2 decimal point), ask them to adjust to proper value and tolerance. they comes back with new drawing 2 weeks later, the hole diameter no change, and it was now shifted one side by 1mm, hence not going to fit other parts. We decide not to take the job after back and forth for over 1month for free, and they say we Malaysian engineers have no talent.
FYI, issues like this wont happen or at least it is easily solved when we worked with overseas engineers.

[novuschan]

I love your content, but would be great if you upgrade your camera & mic setup.

[DoMoreToday.Official]

Dear everybody, many apologies for the poor audio.
My mobile setup can definitely be better, you are right.
Will endeavor to do better ...

Chuang

[AL-bovq]

Friends, you need communication specialists who know how to effectively ask AI for assistance with your subjects. This will help speed up your project development and problem analysis.

[artemisnapolean]

We have been importing foreigners for labour intensive job, result in too low wages for locals facing high housing cost! One group of Malaysian is already struggling to survive! If we allow foreign Engineers to work in Malaysia, the salary would stay stagnant, our intellectual group would have difficulty to live comfortably! It is wrong to import foreigner engineer when we have enough of them for export, we should increase salary of local engineers so that they wouldn't need to leave the country!

[Abraham-ukxy]

Unless there are unlimited jobs in Singapore this cannot go on forever. One in 5 is 20%. 80% still remain in Malaysia so that is adequate.

[iamvr]

So many core engineers have shifted their carriers to IT and Finance (IB & PE)

[somehailim]

We are paying 5 to 8k for engineer.
Unable to get a qualified candidate. Need to import from TW

[leealex]

Malaysia and Malaysians must stop talking about problems instead resolve issues. 20% is exaggerated, especially with growth in KL and Penang lately. I agree need to pay more though.

[ukbulldog]

At LAST post 1969, the QUOTA system had FAILED Malaysia in STEM and Innovation Sector. NO POINT employing foreign student studying in Engineering in MY. This is a LIE. No students are here in MY, if there are. They cabut back to their HOME Country because MY is NOT a welcoming Country (ie, Housing, Shopping and social). NO WAY MY will have the talent. I know a guy who has employed 30 of the Best Engineers in Chennai, INDIA with regard to Design and Fabrication of Advance Chips. India has the talent and MY has the fabrication and assembly. Join the Dots. Let Indian Malaysians and NOT other race Entrepreneurs to handle industrial opportunity.

[ahar]

I am one of IEM council members. I'd like to know where you get the statistics that 20% engineers had left Malaysia. There are 65 IPTA/S offering engineering degrees in Malaysia. Many young graduates complaint about low wages for engineers; but from data it shows that semi-conductors MNC are paying much higher than local SMEs. So, there is no reason why the engineers not wanting to work for MNC such as Intel. Please enlighten me on your claim.

[narenselva]

They leave malaysia because no future !

[brianliew]

Malaysia has overcapacity of engineers, dude. 😂😂😂😂