In Malaysia's Silicon Valley, fortunes flip as virus wrecks trade war gains

An aerial view of Penang. - Reuters

PENANG: Tech firms at Malaysia's one-time Silicon Valley of the East, swimming in orders from customers fleeing trade war-hit China, have seen fortunes turn again in the space of just a year as the coronavirus outbreak cuts them off from Chinese suppliers.

Semiconductor test equipment manufacturer Pentamaster Corp Bhd saw its shares more than double last year as sales surged by about a fifth - the steepest in its 29-year existence - as the firm became a refuge from Sino-U.S. import tariffs.