Article

The Signing of a Joint-Venture Agreement between MARA, UniKL and ICmic to Establish ICmic-UniKL Academy

Kuala Lumpur, 4 December, 2006

Majlis Amanah Rakyat [MARA], Universiti Kuala Lumpur [UniKL] and IC Microsystems Sdn. Bhd. (ICmic) today announced the signing of a Joint Venture Agreement to establish ICmic-UniKL Microelectronics Academy. The signing was witnessed by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin, the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Co-operative Development.

MARA was represented by its Director General, YBhg Dato’ Nam bin Marthinin, YBhg Prof. Dato’ Dr. Abdul Hakim Juri, UniKL’s President and CEO signed on behalf of the University whilst ICmic was represented by the company’s President/CEO, Encik Abd Rashid Munir.

ICmic-UniKL Academy will focus on Microelectronics competency development for Malaysian particularly for Bumiputera for producing Integrated-Circuit (IC) and Electronics products.

The global semiconductor industry is worth approximately US$240 billion per year. It is well segmented into IC Design, Wafer Fabrication, Packaging & Test and Marketing. Malaysia which is heavily involved in the packaging and testing segment has also started some initiatives in the IC Design. This IC design activity has the highest value-add, typically from 50%-80% in comparison with assembly & test of about 10%. With the success of ICmic’s IC Design effort, it has a strategic role in the development of Malaysian-based IC Design cluster in the effort to further penetrate the lucrative global semiconductor market.

The Academy will initially be located in Cyberjaya and it will be facilitised with comprehensive equipment, software and hands-on expertise. It is targeted that the Academy will train about 450 apprentices in next 5 years. From this number of well trained and highly competent engineers, about 20% will become entrepreneurs and the balance is ready to get employment not only in Malaysia but also at global employment market.

IC and Electronics products are very important for Malaysia to position itself in global economy. Competitive products will create entrepreneurs, job-opportunities, upstream and downstream support activities and most importantly the spin-off companies. This is a bold move, a new paradigm shift from a mere typical R&D based set-ups. This product-driven outfit will create the right R&D drive, professional work environment and global in nature and stature.

The Academy will start its intake in early part of 2007, with the selected apprentices from those with minimum of Bachelor in Electronic Engineering. The Academy represents a very comprehensive and integrated effort in human-resource and IC/Electronics product development. ICmic, a leading Malaysian IC Design company, has comprehensive technology ownership in CMOS, BiCMOS and specialized BiPOLAR, for IC design configuration in digital, analog and mixed-signals and extremely experience and efficient in product development. It has more than 80 IC products with more than 40 customers worldwide.

UniKL will contribute its vast experience in academic engineering set-up at various levels. UniKL will award the successful apprentices with Master of Engineering in Technology. Over the 18-month period, the apprentices will develop product in real job environment and discipline, working with some of the world best tools and equipment, lead by very experience project leader. The work will cover IC Design, processes in fabrication, packaging and testing, electronics application development, software engineering, technical marketing and financial.

The apprentice will have a chance to be employed by ICmic or its subsidiary in and outside Malaysia. They will further be nurtured to become highly competence professional or entrepreneur. MARA with its comprehensive entrepreneurs and start-up facilities will render comprehensive support to realise the Government aspiration of seeing higher value-add activities in this country and also clear a path for global participation.

The combined efforts from MARA, UniKL and ICmic will make this venture to be integrated in nurturing, guiding and facilitating a development of successful entrepreneurs and professionals.

About ICmic

IC MICROSYSTEMS Sdn. Bhd. (www.icmic.com) is a leading IC [integrated circuit] Design Company based in Cyberjaya, Malaysia with an office in Santa Clara, California. It is a Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) status company and has a global customer base with proven products performance in costs and technology. The company's product portfolio also includes world-class Mixed-Signal IC's in the form of Digital to Analog Converters IC's, fixed-line Phone IC's, RFIC's and Serial EEPROM.

About UniKL

Universiti Kuala Lumpur (www.unikl.edu.my) upon receiving approval from the Ministry of Education on 17th of June 2002 was registered as a full-fledged university on 20th of August 2002. It was initially known as Universiti Teknikal MARA but later changed to its current name. This is upon realising the potential and significance of the university to the nation and to this region. The change of name is also an effort to promote Kuala Lumpur as a centre of education, research and training excellence. UniKL is managed by Universiti Teknikal MARA Sdn. Bhd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) - a government agency under the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development.

The university was founded with the purpose of providing world standard technical education and training opportunities in order to qualify technical specialist for Malaysian. These technical specialists will be key players in the development of Malaysia into an advanced and industrialised nation in the global k-economy. Apart from Malaysians, the university also opens its doors to foreign students to study at its campuses.

For more information, please contact Puan Shafura Mat Saman at 03-83191919 or shafura@icmic.com