Kuala Lumpur – Motorola Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. will invest some $65.9 million (250 million ringgit) to expand the capacity of its semiconductor plant and on the transfer of technology, which will see the creation of 500 new jobs.

Privately held Motorola Malaysia is a unit of Motorola Inc.

Motorola Malaysia’s Managing Director J.A. Lew said the new investment would be phased in over CY02 and 1Q03.

He said the project involves the transfer of Motorola’s flip chip technology to Malaysia, and high volume quad flat pack production from semiconductor facilities in Hong Kong and Japan, reported Dow Jones.

By 2003, Motorola will have invested $1.14 billion over 30 years in the semiconductor plant in Petaling Jaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, Lew said. “It reinstates Motorola’s deepening commitment to stay in Malaysia,” he said.

The plant is located on a 20-acre site and is expected to use a further 100,000 square feet of manufacturing floor space.

Motorola Malaysia has already recruited 200 people for the 500 new jobs. When all the positions are filled, it
will have a total staff of 4,000.