By Danial Dzulkifly
PUCHONG, April 10 — The Selangor government, through Invest Selangor Bhd will soon launch a survey among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to assess the impact of the recently announced semiconductor tariffs by the United States, said state executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Brazil x Malaysia Bilateral Semiconductor Industry Development Programme earlier today, Ng said the survey will focus on key economic contributors in Selangor, such as property development and manufacturing, to ensure support moves are tailored effectively.
“We are going to engage with industry players to get their feedback and understand the impact these tariffs will have on them. Invest Selangor will be facilitating this engagement,” he said at the event held at Four Points by Sheraton in Puchong.
“For Selangor, we must pay special attention to the potential impact on main contributors to our economy, such as the property development and manufacturing sectors.
“These are the sectors from which we will be gathering feedback to better prepare ourselves and assist them however we can,” he said.
Ng said the survey is set to start this week and involve a curated list of companies.
He also acknowledged US president Donald Trump’s announcement yesterday on temporarily lowering the semiconductor tariff from 24 per cent to 10 per cent.
“That’s a small improvement, but we must still see the overall impact on international trade. We can’t look at Selangor alone or Malaysia alone; we have to consider the broader implications on global trade,” he said.
Ng stressed the importance of close cooperation with the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry and other federal agencies to ensure preparedness and policy coordination.
[caption id="attachment_396900" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
(From left) AWS Malaysia public sector country lead Hafiz Hassan, Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation managing director Yong Kai Ping, state executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han, Embassy of Brazil in Kuala Lumpur representative Felipe Salgueiro Lermen, and representatives from Advanced Semiconductor Academy of Malaysia and ChipInventor pose during the Brazil x Malaysia Bilateral Semiconductor Industry Development Programme, held at Four Points by Sheraton, Puchong, on April 10, 2025. — Picture by HARUN TAJUDIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
On Monday, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said the state administration will consult with industry experts from next week to determine the state’s next steps to respond to sweeping new tariffs imposed by the US.
He said rising trade barriers could have serious consequences for local SMEs if left unaddressed.
Meanwhile, Ng in his keynote address during the programme earlier said Malaysia must position itself as a neutral, innovation-driven hub amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and global trade disruptions.
While semiconductor products are currently exempt from the new tariffs, he warned the situation could change.
“At the moment, tariffs have not been imposed on semiconductors, but we don’t know what might happen in the future. That’s why we need to prepare ourselves for any possibility,” he said.
Ng said long-term resilience lies in Malaysia’s ability to innovate and develop its own technologies.
The bilateral programme today marked the launch of ChipInventor, a Brazil-developed, cloud-based chip design platform that will anchor its Asian operations at Selangor’s IC Design Park.
Backed by AWS Cloud Malaysia, the platform aims to democratise chip development through AI-driven no-code tools and “semiconductor-as-a-service” offerings, enabling new business models in connected packaging and embedded electronics.
The programme is supported by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec), Advanced Semiconductor Academy of Malaysia (Asem), and the Embassy of Brazil in Kuala Lumpur, among others.
The partnership forms part of Malaysia’s broader strategy under the National Semiconductor Strategy, which aims to attract RM500 billion in investment by 2030 and produce a workforce of 60,000 skilled engineers.
Also present at the event were Sidec chief executive officer Yong Kai Ping, alongside representatives from AWS Malaysia, ChipInventor, Asem, and the Brazilian Embassy.
