Press Statement by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at Komtar, George Town on 15 March 2012
Phison’s Chairman and CEO, KS Pua today announced that Phison is setting up its engineering development and design centre in Penang. The centre will be engaged in the development and design of chip, system design as well as marketing. An initial investment of US$1 – 3 million will be mainly on transferring talent and design technologies.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng thanks Phison for selecting Penang as its first location outside Taiwan and hopes that Phison’s investment in an engineering development and design centre in Penang will help to expedite not only technology transfer but also talent transfer to Penang. This strategic investment will further enhance Penang’s move towards higher value added activities and higher paying jobs for the people.
Lim also assures that the State Government, through investPenang will facilitate Phison’s investment in Penang and is confident that Phison’s venture in Penang will be a success. Penang is proud of its track record of its investors continuing to expand and reinvest as part of their commitment to stay put and grow roots permanently in Penang.
For that reason, Penang has for the first time in history became No. 1 investment location in Malaysia not just once in 2010 but also No. 1 again in 2011. Phison follows a distinguished line of top companies who have invested profitably in Penang. The Penang state government hopes that the return of Malaysian-born Pua marks a turning point in our efforts to reverse the brain drain by attracting back not only Malaysians but also other new talents who can drive a new culture of innovation, invention and entrepreneurship.
Penang is proud to be able to partner Pua and Phison for research and development. I have made several visits to Taiwan and to Phison’s office and am pleased that it has borne fruits. We hope to see more high-tech investments from Taiwan.
Phison’s investment in Penang involves a tripartite partnership with Phison doing the design, Silterra doing the wafer fabrication and Index Diversified being responsible for sales and distribution. This project is supported by MIDA as one of key focuses under the Economic Transformation Programme.
Phison, established in Taiwan in November 2000, is a NAND flash application solution provider that also designs controller IC (integrated circuit) and system integration. It is a US$1Billion company that currently employs 500 employees, of which 300 are engineers. Of the 300 engineers, 50 are Malaysians.
Penang hopes Phison’s decision to set up engineering centre in Penang will attract scientific & engineering talents that will not only lead to technology and talent transfer to Penang but also propels economic convergence of manufacturing & services sector.
LIM GUAN ENG
—-Mandarin Version—
槟州首席部长林冠英于2012年3月15日在乔治市发表声明：
我希望群联电子公司（Phison）在槟城设立研发中心将吸引科技工艺人才，不只能将科技工艺转移至槟城，也将推进制造业及服务业的经济融合。
群联电子公司主席兼总裁潘健成今天宣布，该公司将在槟城建立工程发展及研究中心。有关中心将会参与晶片发展及设计、系统设计以及市场行销。这家公司的初期投资额为100万-300万美元，并首先专注在人才及设计工艺的转移。
我们感谢群联选择槟城成为台湾以外第一个投资地，并希望群联在槟城的研发中心不只能够协助加速科技转移，也能够吸引人才前来槟城。这项策略性投资会进一步加速槟城迈向高附加价值的活动及高薪工作。
林冠英也保证州政府将会通过投资槟城，协助群联来槟的投资，我们有信心群联在槟城的投资将会成功。槟城对于能够吸引投资者前来槟城落地生根、扩展经营或再投资为荣。
槟城不只在2010年创下了招商引资全国第一的历史，2011年也是全国第一。群联电子公司也效仿其它在槟城投资获利的顶尖公司前来槟城。槟州政府希望潘健成回国，象征着我们吸引人才回国的重要成就，我们不只招回马来西亚人，我们也招来新的人才来领导革新、创新及企业精神的新文化。
我们很荣幸成为潘健成和群联在研发方面的伙伴。我到过台湾，也去过他们的办公室，我对他们最终的决定感到欣慰。我们也希望更多台湾高科技投资者前来槟城。
群联在槟州的投资涉及三方的合作，那就是群联做设计、马来西亚硅佳(SilTerra)负责晶圆制造，而Index Diversified则负责销售。这也是国家经济转型计划中，大马工业发展局所支持的项目。
群联于2000年11月成立于台湾，是NAND Flash应用程式解决方案供应商，它们也设计controller IC (integrated circuit) 和系统整合。这也是价值10亿美元的公司，雇用500名员工、300名工程师（其中50人为马来西亚人）。我希望群联电子公司（Phison）在槟城设立研发中心将吸引科技工艺人才，不只能将科技工艺转移至槟城，也将推进制造业及服务业的经济融合。