Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has revealed that a global investor plans to invest US$50 billion (~RM204 billion) in Malaysia’s artificial intelligence (AI), new technology and data centre sectors. The proposed investment will cover Kuching, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia, although the investor’s identity has yet to be disclosed.
Speaking at the Sentuhan Kasih Madani Programme and the launch of the National Cost of Living Action Plan 2030 at the Hang Jebat Sports Complex yesterday, Anwar said the investor conveyed its intention during a video conference with him last Tuesday. He described the proposed investment as one of the largest in the region.
According to the prime minister, the investment could create new employment opportunities for Malaysians, particularly younger generations currently studying in schools and institutions of higher learning. He said students should prepare for these opportunities as the country attracts more investment in emerging technology sectors.
Given the announcement, it is possible that the investor could be another tech giant. Meta comes to mind, although this is purely speculation, and the proposed investment could also be an expansion by a company that has already established a presence in Malaysia.
On that note, several major tech companies have already committed billions of dollars to data centres and cloud infrastructure in the country. Oracle, for instance, has committed US$6.5 billion (~RM26.6 billion) to establish a public cloud region, while Amazon Web Services (AWS) has pledged US$6.2 billion (~RM25.4 billion) to expand its cloud and data centre infrastructure.
NVIDIA has also partnered with YTL Power International on an AI infrastructure and data centre project in Johor valued at US$4.3 billion (~RM17.6 billion), with an initial phase reportedly worth US$2.36 billion (~RM9.7 billion). Meanwhile, Microsoft has invested US$2.2 billion (~RM9 billion) to develop new cloud and data centre regions in Malaysia.
ByteDance has invested more than US$2.1 billion (exceeding RM29.5 billion) in local digital and data infrastructure, while Google parent Alphabet committed an initial US$2 billion (~RM8.2 billion) to establish its first data centre and Google Cloud region at Elmina Business Park in Greater Kuala Lumpur. Google has also been linked to infrastructure projects in Port Dickson.
Separately, Anwar stressed that Malaysia must continue strengthening its capabilities in AI, digitalisation and semiconductors to sustain economic growth. He said workforce training and skills development would be crucial in helping the country move beyond back-end technology activities into middle- and front-end operations, which offer higher added value.
However, the prime minister emphasised that attracting investments and driving economic growth must ultimately translate into tangible benefits for Malaysians. These include better employment opportunities and an improved standard of living.
(Source: The Edge Malaysia)
