Malaysia's Data Centre Task Force draws over 40 new project proposals in 2026

More than 40 firms have submitted plans to establish or enlarge data-centre capacity in Malaysia during 2026, according to the Data Centre Task Force. Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani explained that each submission is judged on its financial merit, resource requirements and contribution to the nation’s long-term digital strategy. In his keynote at the Data Centre Nexus 2026, he stressed that growing investment must be matched by advances in AI, home-grown innovation, talent development and higher-value employment.

The task force, jointly led by MITI and the Ministry of Digital, is strengthening coordination across the sector and establishing clear benchmarks for power, water and carbon efficiency, with input from the Energy Commission and the National Water Services Commission. Malaysia approved RM218.5 billion in total investments in the first half of 2026, with the services sector accounting for RM149.6 billion and the information and communications sub-sector, including data centres, receiving RM103.3 billion; data-centre and cloud projects alone represent RM95.8 billion of that total.