Consul-General’s Visit to Oppstar Berhad
2026/7/21
On July 17th, Mr. Shinya Machida, Consul-General of Japan in Penang, accompanied by representatives of JETRO and Japanese companies operating in the region, visited Oppstar Berhad, a semiconductor design company headquartered in Penang.
During the visit, Mr. Ng Meng Thai, Co-Chief Executive Officer, and other senior executives briefed the delegation on the company’s history and operations, the semiconductor industry in Penang and Malaysia, the development of semiconductor design talent, and the application of AI technologies.
Established in 2014, Oppstar Berhad provides semiconductor design services for a wide range of fields, including telecommunications, automotive, industrial and consumer electronics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and AI. In addition to its headquarters in Penang, the company has offices in Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Shin-Yokohama, and Taipei.
During the exchange of views, the participants discussed competition for semiconductor design talent, human resource development in collaboration with universities, the use of AI to improve design efficiency, the advancement of Malaysia’s semiconductor industry into higher-value-added activities, and collaboration between Japanese and Malaysian engineers.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to deepen understanding of how Penang’s semiconductor industry is expanding beyond its traditional strengths in manufacturing, assembly, and testing into fields such as integrated circuit design, AI, and human resource development. The Consulate-General of Japan in Penang will continue to engage with local and Japanese companies to further strengthen economic relations between Japan and northern Malaysia.
During the visit, Mr. Ng Meng Thai, Co-Chief Executive Officer, and other senior executives briefed the delegation on the company’s history and operations, the semiconductor industry in Penang and Malaysia, the development of semiconductor design talent, and the application of AI technologies.
Established in 2014, Oppstar Berhad provides semiconductor design services for a wide range of fields, including telecommunications, automotive, industrial and consumer electronics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and AI. In addition to its headquarters in Penang, the company has offices in Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Shin-Yokohama, and Taipei.
During the exchange of views, the participants discussed competition for semiconductor design talent, human resource development in collaboration with universities, the use of AI to improve design efficiency, the advancement of Malaysia’s semiconductor industry into higher-value-added activities, and collaboration between Japanese and Malaysian engineers.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to deepen understanding of how Penang’s semiconductor industry is expanding beyond its traditional strengths in manufacturing, assembly, and testing into fields such as integrated circuit design, AI, and human resource development. The Consulate-General of Japan in Penang will continue to engage with local and Japanese companies to further strengthen economic relations between Japan and northern Malaysia.