KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Asean members should view themselves as part of a single supply chain in the global semiconductor and manufacturing industries, Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong said.
Liew, in his capacity as deputy chair of the Asean Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEMM), said companies worldwide are prioritising resilience over cost, with many adopting dual-sourcing strategies instead of just relying on the cheapest production sites.
“Not many regions in the world have such a sophisticated and complex supply chain in semiconductor, chip-making, and critical minerals.
“We should see each other as one integrated supply chain rather than as competitors,” he told reporters at the 9th Asean Media Forum here today.
Liew said few regions possess Asean’s level of industrial sophistication, noting that Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam lead in semiconductor manufacturing, Thailand in automotive production, and Indonesia in critical minerals.
He said Asean should recognise its collective strength and operate as an integrated regional supply chain that complements rather than competes internally.
He added that Asean must have greater confidence in its capabilities to realise its full economic potential.
“Asean needs to believe in itself more, take itself more seriously, and recognise that it has huge potential. We must work hard to unlock that potential,” Liew said.
