If you’ve been keeping even a casual eye on Malaysia’s AI landscape, you’ll know that Johor is quickly cementing its position as the country’s data centre hub. The state is already seeing a surge of major foreign and local players, including YTL and Equinix, setting up shop, and the space is only getting more crowded. Soon, the region will also welcome another entrant from Singapore, DayOne.
The company announced earlier this week that it plans to invest more than US$6.96 billion (~RM28 billion) in Malaysia by the end of 2026. According to Xinhua, the move is expected to deepen its presence locally while also positioning the country as its largest global market.
In an official statement, DayOne said the move will strengthen Malaysia’s position as a regional digital hub and added that it expects the country to account for over half of its global headcount growth in 2026. It also plans to double its local workforce to around 1,200 direct employees.
The report adds that the expansion will create more than 5,000 jobs across the supply chain. It will also introduce over 200 high-value roles under Phase II of its Global Shared Services Centre in Kuala Lumpur, covering finance, investment, procurement, and corporate functions.
DayOne CEO Jamie Khoo said Malaysia has become a cornerstone of the group’s regional strategy. She pointed to its existing infrastructure, including a regional operations hub in Johor and an expanded services centre in Kuala Lumpur.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi welcomed the initiative. He also emphasised the importance of collaboration between the government, industry, and academia in developing both digital infrastructure and skilled talent.
Circling back to the company, DayOne plans to establish a regional training hub in Johor to train over 1,000 data centre engineers to support an AI-ready infrastructure. The company will offer both internship and graduate programmes to trainees.
(Source: Free Malaysia Today, Xinhua, via The Edge)
