Google recently announced its plans to invest $2 billion in Malaysia, marking its first data center and Google Cloud hub in the country. This move follows a trend of U.S. tech giants investing in Southeast Asia, with Microsoft committing $2.2 billion to Malaysia’s cloud and AI infrastructure.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sees Google’s investment as a vote of confidence in the country’s governance and economy. The investment is expected to contribute $3.2 billion and create 26,500 jobs by 2030, which is a significant boost for the economy and job market.
The new data center and Google Cloud hub will be located in a business park in Selangor state to meet the growing demand for cloud services and AI literacy programs for Malaysian students and educators. This development positions Malaysia as the 12th country to house a Google data center, providing services to large enterprises, startups, and the public sector.
Alphabet Inc.’s president and CFO, Ruth Porat, emphasized that this investment aligns with Malaysia’s ‘Cloud First Policy’ and includes high cybersecurity standards. The groundwork for this significant investment was laid during meetings between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and business leaders in the U.S. last year.
Overall, Google’s investment in Malaysia signifies a positive step towards strengthening the country’s technology infrastructure and economy. The collaboration between the tech giant and the Malaysian government showcases a promising partnership that aims to drive growth and innovation in the region.
