THE nation needs to strengthen career prospects and compensation to retain semiconductor specialists, as overseas employers offer salaries up to three times higher than those available locally, Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said.
He said integrated circuit (IC) design and research and development (R&D) specialists in Malaysia could earn between RM8,000 and RM25,000 a month, while senior semiconductor engineers could receive between RM10,000 and RM20,000.
“Salary is certainly a consideration in our country, particularly for experienced specialists.
“If compared with job offers in the United Kingdom, Singapore, South Korea or Taiwan, they may be able to earn two to three times more,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
However, Johari said the higher salaries offered overseas should be considered alongside the higher cost of living in those countries.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin on salary levels and measures to improve compensation to prevent Malaysian semiconductor specialists from seeking employment abroad.
Johari said competitive career pathways that matched workers’ growing skills and experience were essential to retaining expertise and supporting the growth of Malaysia’s high-value semiconductor industry. - October 21, 2026