Malaysia is set to sign a memorandum of cooperation with Brazil in the semiconductor sector and begin negotiations with India to enhance technological and industrial collaboration between both nations, said Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong.
He said the initiatives reflect the MADANI government’s goal and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s aspiration to strengthen trade relations with developing economies, particularly BRICS member nations and the African continent.
According to Liew, the Prime Minister will make an official visit to Africa in November to further expand Malaysia’s economic engagement with the region. “In this context, we also have good relations with Bangladesh and Pakistan. We can enhance ties with these markets and establish relationships that go beyond exports — we can have technological collaboration between us,” he said in Parliament today.
Responding to a supplementary question from Kubang Pasu MP Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail, Liew said Malaysia’s strategy to diversify its trade partners is crucial to avoid overdependence on traditional markets such as the United States. “We may have to accept the fact that our reliance on the US as an export destination may decline one day. We, therefore, need new markets and commercial partners,” he said.
He noted that the ministry is prioritising the strengthening of regional supply chains, especially in strategic sectors like semiconductors, to safeguard Malaysia’s long-term economic resilience.
“In the past, many said we were competing with Vietnam or other countries, but now we are ensuring that the ecosystem and supply networks in ASEAN are being strengthened. Under ASEAN leadership, we are establishing a framework for semiconductor supply chains beyond ASEAN countries so we can reinforce the supply chains in our country and throughout the region,” he added.
Liew said the ministry is also pursuing multiple strategies to sustain Malaysia’s competitiveness, including diversifying trading partners and investors through regional trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
