Abang Johari (third right) declares open the new factory building. Seen from right are Mussen, Awang Tengah, Sase, and Dr Sim. – Photo by Kong Jun Liung
KUCHING (Oct 12): The Sama Jaya High-Tech Park has attracted more than RM14 billion worth of investments and created many spinoffs, which has continued to benefit the local business community over the years, said the Premier.
Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said currently Sama Jaya has created 15,000 employment opportunities, of which 98 per cent are filled by locals.
“In 2022 alone, Sama Jaya generated a total of RM758 million in wages for the workers, which ultimately flows back into our local economy. For the same year, the export value generated from Sama Jaya was RM8.9 billion,” he said when inaugurating Taiyo Yuden’s new factory building at the Sama Jaya High-Teck Park here today.
In addition to Taiyo Yuden, he said Sama Jaya is also home to major multinational corporations such as X-FAB (semiconductor), Western Digital (or HGST – glass and aluminium substrates), LONGi (solar ingots, wafers, cells, and modules), and Lotte EM (copperfoil used in batteries for electric vehicles), which are also expanding respectively to cater to the needs of the global market.
“They have a network of supporting industries that have formed a cluster here at the park. We welcome more companies in your value chain to set up in Sarawak to support your operations,” he said.
According to Abang Johari, to meet the increasing demand from investors and attract more foreign direct investment (FDI), especially in electronic and electrical sectors, the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (Mintred) is planning to develop the Kuching High-Tech Park in phases, with an area of 1,825 acres in Kuching and Samarahan Divisions.
“The project is expected to be fully completed by 2030, creating more business and employment opportunities for our locals,” he said.
On the new factory building, Abang Johari congratulated Taiyo Yuden, one of the first companies to invest in Sarawak 27 years ago and which has been expanding quite fast since then.
“Since its establishment in Sama Jaya, Taiyo Yuden has invested over RM3 billion in its Sarawak operations.
“In order to cater to the growing market demand for multi-layered ceramic capacitor (MLCC) in response to the advancement of technologies for automobiles with more electrical and electronic controlled components, communications infrastructures such as servers and base nation communication devices, 5G smartphones and other markets, Taiyo Yuden has constructed this new two-storey factory building in 70 acres of land area,” he said.
“I have been informed that this new factory will be a state of art and environmentally friendly plant that will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases through energy conservation by improving the efficiency of various facilities and energy creation by introducing solar power generation on the roof of this building.
“For future expansion, I was told another three units of factory buildings can be constructed on this land,” he added.
Abang Johari also said that currently Taiyo Yuden is the largest employer in Sama Jaya with 4,800 personnel.
Of this, almost all are Sarawakians except for the top management, and 616 or 12.8 per cent of Taiyo’s workforce is made up of degree and diploma holders.
“In this respect on behalf of the government, I would like to thank Taiyo Yuden and all the investors in Sama Jaya for giving employment opportunities for Sarawakians.
“Here, I would like to commend the hard work of my colleague (Deputy Premier) Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah, who just came back from overseas, who keeps on asking people to invest in Sarawak – good work done by you and his officers at the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment, which has ultimately convinced Taiyo Yuden that Sarawak is indeed the right choice for Taiyo’s investment expansion. You have made the right choice,” said Abang Johari.
He pointed out the success of Sama Jaya and the continuous expansion of multinationals in the state augur well for Sarawak’s industrialisation agenda and to leapfrog the state to become a high-income economy by 2030.
“Sarawak will continue with its business-friendly policies to attract more investments, especially in high-tech and green industries,” he added.
Among those present were Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Investment Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, Taiyo Yuden Co Ltd Japan representative director, president and chief executive officer Katsuya Sase as well as Taiyo Yuden (Sarawak) managing director and chief executive.