Malaysia: industry on the ground
Electrical and electronic products, petroleum products, LNG, chemicals and palm-oil-based manufactures are among the main exports, so processing sites range from petrochemical units to palm-oil mills.
Malaysia · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Smartphone Distributor in Malaysia
A Zone 1 and Zone 21 handset for Malaysian crews: process and maintenance technicians at Pengerang and Kertih, LNG operators at Bintulu, offshore production staff off Miri and Kimanis, and the safety and telecoms people who issue their equipment. Oil exploration in Sarawak started at Miri, where Shell drilled the first well in 1910; the well became known as the Grand Old Lady, which gives the north-west of Borneo a long upstream history. An ATEX and IECEx smartphone distributor in Malaysia would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicATEX and IECEx
DeviceSmartphone
RouteDistribution
WhereMalaysia
Short answer. Malaysia has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx smartphone for Malaysia
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 on the rating plate | Design target; not yet marked |
| EU-type examination certificate | Notified body number and certificate ID | In progress with TÜV; not issued |
| IECEx certificate of conformity | Number listed on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Malaysia: Gebeng, Pahang, Bintulu, Sarawak, Miri, Sarawak | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Malaysia
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Malaysia. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · Malaysia
Hazardous-area industry in Malaysia
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS Malaysia market guide covers.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- PETRONAS
- Upstream, gas processing, refining and petrochemicals nationwide
- Pengerang Refining and Petrochemical
- Refinery and cracker complex at Pengerang, Johor
- PETRONAS Chemicals Group
- Olefins, derivatives and fertiliser at Kertih, Gebeng and Gurun
- Malaysia LNG
- The liquefaction complex and jetties at Bintulu, Sarawak
- Sarawak Shell and Sabah Shell
- Offshore oil and gas operations and their onshore support
- Dialog Group
- Pengerang deepwater terminals and plant maintenance services
Industrial areas and sites
- Pengerang, Johor
- Refinery, cracker and the deepwater storage terminals
- Kertih, Terengganu
- Gas processing plants and an integrated petrochemical complex
- Gebeng, Pahang
- Chemical plants beside Kuantan Port
- Bintulu, Sarawak
- LNG trains, jetties and the Samalaju heavy industry park
- Miri, Sarawak
- Onshore terminals, the crude oil terminal and offshore support
- Kemaman, Terengganu
- Supply base, fabrication yards and the oil terminal
Field notes · Malaysia
More about Malaysia that matters for portable equipment
Malaysia: rules and approvals
Energy supply is regulated by the Energy Commission (Suruhanjaya Tenaga) and the Department of Electricity and Gas Supply, under laws that include the 1974 Petroleum Development Act and the 1993 Gas Supply Acts.
Malaysia: projects and investment
PETRONAS describes its Pengerang Integrated Complex in Johor as one of Southeast Asia's largest integrated petrochemical facilities, valued at USD 27 billion and located within the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex.
Malaysia: who works there
Petronas is a vertically integrated group covering exploration, refining, distribution, power generation and trading, with subsidiaries such as Petronas Carigali for upstream, Petronas Chemicals for petrochemicals and Petronas Dagangan for marketing.
The term · ATEX and IECEx
What “ATEX and IECEx” means for a smartphone
ATEX is the European legal framework for equipment used in explosive atmospheres (Directive 2014/34/EU). IECEx is the international certification scheme built on the IEC 60079 standards. Buyers outside Europe often ask for both: an IECEx certificate is the technical evidence most national regimes build on, while ATEX is the legal route into the European market.
For the IS-04Z1 both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and neither certificate has been issued. The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: equipment Group II (surface industry), Category 2 (Zone 1 gas), protection concept ib (intrinsic safety), gas group IIC and temperature class T4.
In Malaysia. A Malaysian HSE or procurement reviewer, working to a regime written around the MS IEC 60079 series, would expect an IECEx Certificate of Conformity first, with ATEX evidence beside it. For international contractors and fabricators moving between PETRONAS-linked sites and overseas work, the dual route avoids a second assessment. Both programmes are in progress and no certificate is issued.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Malaysia
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Malaysia yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Malaysia.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Malaysia
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx smartphone in Malaysia today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an ATEX and IECEx smartphone in Malaysia cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
Is the IS-04Z1 ATEX and IECEx certified?
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
Which sites in Malaysia does this cover?
The market guide for Malaysia covers Pengerang, Johor, Kertih, Terengganu, Gebeng, Pahang, Bintulu, Sarawak, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Malaysia?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Malaysia.
Does Malaysia's climate affect which intrinsically safe phone I should choose?
Malaysia is hot and humid, so check the stated operating temperature range, ingress protection rating and battery behaviour at the top of that range. Offshore and coastal sites also add salt-laden air, which makes sealed connectors and charging contacts worth checking.
Are Petronas sites different from other Malaysian industrial sites for handheld devices?
Petronas and its operating companies typically apply their own site procedures on top of national law, including permit-to-work and device registration. Requirements vary by facility and contractor, so ask the site HSE office for its current device and induction rules.
Do I need separate approval for the radio in Malaysia?
Radio equipment is regulated separately from explosion protection. The programme lists MCMC certification through SIRIM QAS for the communications side, alongside IECEx for the hazardous area side, and both are in progress. Check with your supplier and the site operator which evidence your site requires before enrolling any device.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Malaysia and for Malaysia.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in MalaysiaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in MalaysiaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in MalaysiaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in MalaysiaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in MalaysiaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier in MalaysiaSame place, different guide
Malaysia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for MalaysiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Malaysia
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Malaysia
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Malaysia
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Malaysia?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.