KUALA LUMPUR (May 30): What did savvy investor Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan see in Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd (KL:MPI) when he accumulated a stake worth nearly RM90 million six years ago?
This is the same investor who famously disposed of five million MPI shares at about RM46 apiece during the dotcom boom in February 2000, pocketing more than RM230 million. Market observers noted that Quek had accumulated substantial MPI shares at around RM3 to RM5 each during the 1997/98 Asian financial crisis — a move widely regarded as one of his most astute investments.
Now, as artificial intelligence (AI) fuels a global semiconductor arms race, the Hong Leong Group-controlled outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) player is emerging as a key beneficiary of surging demand tied to AI servers and data centres, particularly in power management chips and advanced packaging technologies.
But for managing director Manuel Zarauza Brandulas, the current AI boom is only the beginning.
In an exclusive interview with The Edge, Zarauza says MPI is already preparing for the next frontier of semiconductor demand — spanning autonomous vehicles, humanoid robotics and increasingly complex AI-driven systems.
“A humanoid robot could require more than 2,000 chips,” he says, outlining MPI’s ambition to evolve into a one-stop semiconductor solutions provider.
The group has spent years investing in silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) technologies — advanced materials becoming increasingly critical in next-generation AI infrastructure due to their superior power efficiency and thermal performance.
MPI’s strategy is already translating into stronger financial performance. For the nine months ended March 31, 2026, the group posted a 30% jump in net profit as AI-related demand accelerated. The company is also ramping up investments across Malaysia, China and Thailand to support future growth.
Yet Zarauza remains cautious about the notoriously cyclical semiconductor industry. Rather than chasing short-term gains, MPI focuses on disciplined expansion, customer diversification and long-term positioning.
“What MPI is doing today is the result of planning made seven years ago,” he says.
The full story explores how MPI transformed itself from a consumer electronics-focused OSAT player into an emerging AI infrastructure beneficiary — and why management believes the semiconductor industry’s next wave may arrive sooner than many expect.
To find out more, grab a copy of The Edge Malaysia weekly today.
Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.
P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play.
Copyright © 1999-2026 The Edge Communications Sdn. Bhd. 199301012242 (266980-X). All rights reserved
Leave a Reply