Extra tags: Data CentreDigital Economy
GDS Holdings Ltd, a leading developer and operator of high-performance data centres in China, is pleased to announce the start of construction of its hyperscale data centre campus in Nusajaya, Johor.
The development of this project is supported by the Digital Investments Office (DIO), a collaborative platform between Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).
The DIO has been working closely with GDS Holdings to facilitate its Request for Information (RFI) during the planning phase of the project, as well as providing support to ensure smooth implementation of the overall project in Malaysia, in line with the DIO's role of easing investors' journey in Malaysia by combining MIDA's global presence and MDEC's subject matter expertise in the digital economy ecosystem.
GDS Holdings' presence in Malaysia and the construction of the hyperscale data centre, according to MDEC CEO Mahadhir Aziz, will have a significant positive impact on the development of Malaysia's digital economy.
“The new centre signifies Malaysia’s competitive advantage in attracting data centre investments, in line with our aspirations under the Malaysia Digital initiative. It also brings with it the world-class infrastructure capabilities that will further strengthen Malaysia as the digital hub of ASEAN,” said Mahadhir.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to Invest Johor and the Johor State Economic Planning Division (BPENJ) for their support and assistance for this project. Building a thriving digital economy and infrastructure takes an entire nation – MDEC will continue driving more collaborations to further develop the country’s burgeoning data centre industry,” he added.
Ms. Lim Bee Vian, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO), Investment Development, MIDA, similarly commended the company’s investment into the country.
“Malaysia is honoured to host GDS data centres in the country. Data centres are a key infrastructure enabler to transform Malaysia towards an advanced digital nation, paving the way for modern businesses. MIDA, through the Digital Investment Office will continue our efforts in transforming new and existing economic clusters and facilitating strategic investment partners like GDS Holdings, as digital enablers to create high income jobs and encourage digital upskilling of the local workforce and businesses,” she said.
Meanwhile, Johor's Menteri Besar, YAB Datuk Onn Hafiz bin Ghazi, stated that the project will serve as a catalyst for Johor and Malaysia to become a data centre hub, as well as spur the creation of clusters of local public computing services companies. The data centre will also contribute to the state's goal of creating jobs.
“The entry of GDS and its hyperscale data centre to Johor is very welcomed and timely. We see this as a validation of our state’s attractiveness as a top international and domestic investment destination. This in turn is driven by our world-class infrastructure and lifestyle offerings, as well as the state’s enduring stability. I truly hope this will be the first of many such investments and projects here,” he added.
GDS Chairman and CEO William Huang said that Malaysia is the ideal nation for the major step of the company’s regionalisation plan, thanks to its strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and access to high-skilled, multi-cultural and multi-lingual talent.
“These factors, including Nusajaya’s proximity to Johor Bahru and Singapore, will be great for existing GDS customers looking to expand in the region. We are thankful for Malaysia’s robust ecosystem in supporting our presence here,” Huang added.
The groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 1 of GDS Holdings' hyperscale data centre project, which is expected to be completed by 2024, took place on April 24, 2022 in Nusajaya, Johor. This is the start of the Shanghai-based company's long-term investment plan in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, which includes the prospective creation of a Phase 2 of the Nusajaya data centre project.
