M'sia's Specialist Engineer Crisis: BEM, M'sia's Engineer React to Zafrul's Foreign Talent Shock

Recently, a statement was made by our Minister of MITI, Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz (DSTZ), regarding the shortage of highly specialized engineers in Malaysia despite the presence of numerous factories and design centers in the country. It highlights that this is a global challenge, not just a local one, even at the moment several Malaysian companies work in collaboration with academics to produce local talent.

DSTZ addressed this issue during a parliamentary session, responding to a query from the MP Kubang Pasu regarding MITI's strategies for managing geopolitical risks and preventing over-reliance on any single nation/corporation for AI hardware.

Malaysia, is setting its sights on advancing within the semiconductor value chain by fostering the growth of local companies that are proficient in the design and fabrication of integrated circuits (IC) and wafer fabrications. (Reference item 1).

Since this statement was made in the parliament, it had captured the attention of many people, especially engineers, particularly as the ongoing concern of 'Jurutera Miskin' remains unresolved, a topic I previously emphasised (reference item 2) in recent years.

Now, a new issue has emerged, which in the concern of Malaysian engineer, is the influx of engineers from outside Malaysia.

The Board of Engineer, a regulator body responsible for engineer registration, has responded by highlighting the introduction of the BEM Strategic Plan for 2026-2030. Among its key focusses are Talent Development, Governance, Innovation, and Technical Readiness. (reference item 3).

In discussing the recent statements made by DSTZ, it is important to consider the context in which they were presented.

DSTZ was actually aimed to address a specific inquiry from MP regarding the nation’s preparedness for AI advancements. The mention of a general insufficiency of specialist engineers appears to be a response to this question.

In my opinion, it may be beneficial for DSTZ to exercise greater caution in their choice of words to avoid potential misunderstandings.

As to discuss on the issue, there are one or two important terms present, with the first being Specialist.

What is the definition of a specialist engineer?

Engineers accredited by BEM indicate that upon graduation and three years of professional practice, an individual qualifies to be recognised as an Engineer. However, despite BEM's classification of Engineers into various fields such as Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical, this designation does not necessarily confer specialisation. It means the person being accredited as an Professional Engineer, which mean that he/she eligible to practice as an Engineer in Malaysia.

What exactly is the role of a Specialist Engineer?

Currently, there is no organisation or registered entity that verifies or validates a specialist engineer (not that I know of) . If the government considers initiatives to establish such a body, it is clear that the process will not be straightforward.

Engineering stands apart from the medical field, where classifications of specialists are distinctly defined. In contrast, the realm of engineering continues to expand, resembling a Christmas tree; as you going down from the tip of the tree, more branches you get. Therefore, particularly, in the field of electronic engineering, a designer or engineer specialising in computer hardware today may not hold the same expertise in just a decade. Consequently, defining a specialist can be challenging unless the organisation employing an engineer gives a clear definition, identifying an engineer as a specialist based on the specific product or service they deliver to the customer, for which the Engineer assume full responsibility on the design, and applicability.

Now, let us return to the initial storyline. I remembered I read an article in The Star. (Reference item 4), The chairman of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) highlighted that there is a demand for 60,000 engineers from the current workforce of approximately 90,000 engineers.

I anticipated that the term Engineers in this context pertains to the Semi-conductor engineers, as the actual total count of Engineers overall stands at 262,000 (Reference item 3), and not 90,000 as in the article.

In the article, Malaysia introduced a plan focused on the three Rs: Recruit, Retain, and Return. The objective is to recruit essential engineers, maintain current talent, and motivate Malaysians working overseas to return home.

Malaysia's strategy involves transitioning from its current role as a packaging and testing centre to becoming a leader in high-value fabless manufacturing and integrated circuit design. The article indicates that competing with Singapore in terms of engineers' salaries is challenging, as the cost of doing business and living here is lower. However, it is important to note that many engineers (along with other Malaysian workforce) prioritise a salary that aligns with their lifestyle and an organisation that enhances their quality of life, rather than simply seeking a high salary.

Despite this, I trust that DSTZ will exercise greater caution in their wording before making public statements, even during parliamentary sessions, as these remarks are recorded and may be misinterpreted by the public (particularly by engineers).

Despite the long-standing practice in Malaysia of appointing foreign specialist engineers to work in local companies until Malaysians gain expertise, the recent comments from DSTZ carry a different weight. The recent statements from DSTZ suggests that the government may be preparing to implement measures to facilitate the influx of foreign talent into the country, which cause nation concern.

Furthermore, DSTZ indicated that he had engaged in discussions with MOHE regarding the potential for international students enrolled in our public universities to have the opportunity to work in Malaysia. While the specifics of government-to-government policies remain unclear for me on what had been discussed (between MOHE & MITI), it is important to note that the Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC), which operates under the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), is the regulator body responsible for accrediting engineering programs in the country for all public and private university.Should the BEM be involved in this conversation?

BEM represents the signatories of the Washington Accord, while MBOT is associated with the Seoul Accord, In the context of IT Engineers Technologists, should these organisations be included in the decision-making process regarding which foreign talent are permitted to practise technology in Malaysia? What are the tax benefits associated with hiring local vs foreign engineers for companies? Are we planning to implement knowledge-transfer practices, or is this merely an open invitation for foreign talent to come to Malaysia? How do company that hiring foreign talent determine knowledge necessary to be transferred to the local engineers, retain the knowledge and made available to the local engineers?

And the crucial aspect to consider is identifying the gaps that local engineers from Malaysia faces and addressing them through improvements (not solely through ongoing training). This can take the form of monitoring local companies to enforce: -

1.       Lesson learnt from failures and success case study.

2.       Gathering knowledge from market, stakeholder and customer.

3.       Mentoring succession plan, either the foreign expertise (if hired) shall plan or lead or organize or control the local talent.

4.       Benchmarking the local talent progress from time to time.

Reference:-

1.       Anis Zalani, 26 November 2025, Tengku Zafrul: Malaysia short of specialist Engineers, govt mulls allowing foreign graduates to work locally, https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/11/26/tengku-zafrul-malaysia-short-of-specialist-engineers-govt-mulls-allowing-foreign-graduates-to-work-locally/199706

2.       Ir. Ts. Muhammad Firdaus, 14 April 2024, Jurutera Miskin, https://www.irs.asia/post/jurutera-miskin-1

3.       Board of Engineers Malaysia, 28 November 2025, No title, https://www.facebook.com/ BEMEngineers/posts/we-acknowledge-yb-datuk-seri-tengku-zafruls-remarks-on-the-shortage-of-high-leve/1280947487394543/

4.       Lu Wei Hoong, The Star, 15/9/2024, Wanted: 60,000 Engineers, as Malaysia seeks talent to drive its chip-sector ambitions. https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2024/09/15/wanted-60000-engineers-as-malaysia-seeks-talent-to-drive-its-chip-sector-ambitions