By Editor KB,Karen Bong

Copyright dayakdaily

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Sept 12: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged industry leaders to go beyond investments and directly engage with universities, even on a pro bono basis, by sharing expertise, reviewing curricula, and exposing students to practical industry knowledge to strengthen Malaysia’s human capital base in advanced technology sectors such as semiconductors.

He emphasised that the challenge of securing a highly skilled and future-ready workforce is real, cautioning that while Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) remains important, it will not be adequate without stronger collaboration between academia and industry.

“This synergy is crucial. Universities must depart from traditional academic silos and align their training with the expertise and needs of industry. If we fail to do so, we cannot meet the demand of an increasingly competitive global semiconductor market,” he said when launching the RM3 billion X-FAB Sarawak 40K Expansion at Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone here today.

Anwar stressed that Malaysia’s ambition to be a global semiconductor hub depends not only on world-class infrastructure, supply chains, and supportive ecosystems but also on having the right workforce to drive innovation.

“We have a disciplined workforce, but we must continue fostering synergy between universities and industries. Universities must shift from purely academic training to integrating practical expertise from the industry. Only then can our graduates be industry-ready,” he said.

Citing artificial intelligence (AI) faculties being set up across universities, he pointed out that the government is pushing for faster collaboration to ensure that academic knowledge is enhanced by real-world industrial experience.

“Industries know precisely what skills they require. Universities must work hand in hand with them so that students are trained in the right disciplines and absorbed directly into high-tech industries,” he added.

He reiterated his call for industry leaders to work closely with local universities by offering feedback on curricula, conducting training sessions, and even providing guest lectures at no cost.

“We tried this with the University of Malaya with some major companies, and the benefit was immense for both the students and the professors. Malaysians, and I believe Sarawakians too, are humble enough to absorb new ideas, especially in the high-end technologies we urgently need to master,” he said.

Anwar affirmed that the federal and Sarawak governments are aligned in driving Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy, aimed at strengthening the country’s role in the global supply chain and meeting growing international demand for advanced technologies. — DayakDaily