Local Engineer Builds High-Tech Electronics Capability

By Mohd Afiq Zulkifli

JERANTUT, Dec 20 (Bernama) — Few possess the skills to repair and manufacture spare parts for high-technology electronic circuit boards, but such expertise has shaped the career path of a local electronic engineer from this district.

Hailing from Kampung Baharu here, Mohd Azahar Zanudin, 51, has spent more than two decades mastering a highly specialised field that remains relatively uncommon in Malaysia. His expertise has resonated beyond Malaysia, drawing interest from industries in developing nations.

The Pahang native specialises in repairing and producing high-technology electronic circuit boards that serve as core electronic components for navigation systems, radar, sonar and transponders used in aircraft, helicopters and ships.

Beyond that, he is also skilled in maintaining, restoring and reproducing complex high-tech electronic circuit board components that are no longer manufactured in their countries of origin — a task generally considered extremely challenging.

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With these capabilities and notable achievements, Mohd Azahar now operates a research and development (R&D) facility here, as well as a factory in Shah Alam, Selangor, focusing on the production of high-tech electronic circuit board spare parts.

Speaking to Bernama recently, the father of one said his involvement in the field began after completing a diploma in electronic engineering in 1999 at Institut Bina Usahawan through a collaborative programme with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

He began his career by gaining experience at a Taiwanese electronic components and telecommunications systems company after graduating, noting that his three-year stint there laid a strong foundation for his professional development.

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“For three years, I was the only local staff member given the opportunity and trust to be part of the R&D team, with direct involvement in developing and improving electronic and telecommunications systems.

“When the company decided to relocate its operations from Shah Alam to overseas, I chose to resign and took the opportunity to purchase several of its high-technology machines, including an intelligent programmer and electronic board testing equipment, to start my own small-scale business,” he said.

Operating under the company brand A Electronic Link Networks, Mohd Azahar said his enterprise grew gradually before being entrusted with training work and telecommunications equipment repair for government sectors, including enforcement agencies, defence and the private sector.

Elaborating further, the engineer said one of the greatest challenges in his career was repairing and reproducing an integrated electronic circuit board for a telecommunications company after the original overseas manufacturer ceased operations, leaving no complete technical documentation.

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“The electronic board was used to control cooling systems for telecommunications facilities nationwide and also incorporated security functions such as alarms, links to security teams and cabin fire detection.

“However, the absence of original technical diagrams meant I had to rebuild the entire circuit through a reverse engineering process, which took nearly a year and only succeeded on the 13th attempt,” he said.

He described the task as one of the most valuable projects he has undertaken, noting that it was vastly different from repairing commercial electronic boards such as mobile phones, which are generally easier to fix as they rely mainly on basic software.

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Such commercial electronics, he explained, do not involve high security requirements and can be serviced using standard equipment, unlike high-technology electronic boards that operate within critical systems and involve complex software.

“These high-tech electronic boards also incorporate multiple layers of security and require rigorous testing, which demands advanced machinery and specialised expertise, making them far more challenging than commercial electronic boards,” he said.

As such, Mohd Azahar hopes greater attention will be given to developing local expertise in high-technology electronics to ensure the country has its own capabilities to support critical systems, while also opening pathways to high-value careers for the younger generation.

-- BERNAMA