JERANTUT: Few possess the expertise to repair and reproduce spare parts for high-tech electronic circuit boards – but that rare skill has defined the career of local electronic engineer Azahar Zanudin.
Hailing from Kampung Baharu here, the 51-year-old has spent more than two decades mastering a highly specialised field that remains uncommon in Malaysia.
His capabilities have since drawn interest from industries not only locally but also from developing countries abroad.
Azahar specialises in repairing and producing high-tech electronic circuit boards that serve as core components in navigation systems, radar, sonar and transponders used in aircraft, helicopters and ships.
He is also skilled in restoring and reproducing complex electronic boards that are no longer manufactured in their countries of origin – a task widely regarded as extremely challenging due to the absence of original parts or documentation.
Today, Azahar operates a research and development (R&D) facility in Jerantut and a factory in Shah Alam, Selangor, focusing on the production of high-tech electronic circuit board spare parts for critical systems.
Speaking with Bernama recently, the father of one said his journey into 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 gained early experience at a Taiwanese electronic components and telecommunications systems company, where a three-year stint proved formative to his professional growth.
“For three years, I was the only local staff member entrusted to join the R&D team, with direct involvement in developing and improving electronic and telecommunications systems,” he said.
When the company decided to relocate its operations overseas, Azahar chose to resign and used the opportunity to purchase several high-tech machines, including an intelligent programmer and electronic board testing equipment, to start his own small-scale business.
Operating under the company brand A Electronic Link Networks, he said the enterprise grew steadily before being entrusted with training and telecommunications equipment repair work for government sectors, including enforcement agencies, defence and the private sector.
One of the greatest challenges of his career, Azahar recalled, involved repairing and reproducing an integrated electronic circuit board for a telecommunications company after the original overseas manufacturer ceased operations.
The board controlled cooling systems for telecommunications facilities nationwide and incorporated security functions such as alarms, links to security teams, and cabin fire detection.
“Without access to original technical diagrams, I had to rebuild the entire circuit through reverse engineering,” he said, adding that the process took nearly a year and he only succeeded on the 13th attempt.
He described the project as one of the most valuable in his career, noting that it differed greatly from repairing commercial electronics such as mobile phones, which generally rely on basic software and standard servicing equipment.
In contrast, he explained, high-tech electronic boards operate within critical systems, incorporate multiple layers of security, and require rigorous testing using advanced machinery and specialised expertise.
“These boards are far more complex and demanding, but they are essential to systems where failure is not an option,” he noted.
Azahar hopes greater emphasis will be placed on developing local expertise in high-tech electronics to ensure Malaysia has its own capabilities to support critical systems, while opening pathways to high-value careers for the younger generation.
