The investment will fund new data centres, support more than 37,000 jobs annually during construction and strengthen Malaysia’s position as a regional AI and technology hub….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Google has announced plans to invest US$15 billion in Malaysia between 2027 and 2028, as part of a major expansion of its digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and clean energy operations in the country. The investment will support new data centre campuses, create more than 37,000 local jobs annually during construction and fund initiatives to equip approximately 800,000 Malaysians with digital and AI skills by 2031.
The announcement was made in the presence of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with Google outlining an integrated plan to strengthen the country’s digital economy while supporting energy efficiency, water security and sustainable infrastructure development.
The investment builds on Google’s more than 15-year presence in Malaysia and expands its digital infrastructure commitments announced in 2024. Since opening its first local office in 2011, the technology company has expanded its operations and introduced various initiatives to support the country’s digital ecosystem.
Google’s infrastructure expansion includes its first data centre campus at Elmina Business Park in Selangor, which is now operational, alongside plans for additional campuses in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
The facilities will provide computing capacity to support artificial intelligence applications developed in Malaysia, as well as Google’s services, including Search, Maps and Chrome, used by millions of people and organisations across Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific region.
The computing infrastructure in Selangor will also support Google’s upcoming Cloud region in Malaysia, serving enterprise customers and organisations seeking to develop and scale AI solutions.
Alphabet and Google President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat said the investment was intended to deliver long-term benefits for Malaysia’s economy and communities.
“Google is committed to growing our presence responsibly, delivering lasting value for Malaysia’s economy and people. This investment aligns with Malaysia’s development priorities—providing the foundational computing capacity to deliver the upside of innovation across the country while adding local power and water resources as our operations scale,” she said.
Malaysia’s Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo described the investment as an important contribution to the country’s technological development, highlighting its potential to strengthen local businesses, workforce capabilities and sustainable infrastructure.
Google said it was working with more than 80 Malaysian businesses and organisations across construction, civil engineering, network infrastructure, power systems, logistics and other services to develop and operate its facilities.
The construction of the new campuses between 2027 and 2028 is expected to contribute an average of US$1.1 billion annually to Malaysia’s gross domestic product and support more than 37,000 local jobs each year. Around 6,000 of these positions are expected to be in construction, with average annual labour income estimated at US$378 million.
Once operational, the facilities are projected to support more than 9,000 local jobs annually, with wages averaging 45 per cent above the national median. These positions will include data centre technicians, mechanical and electrical engineers, logistics managers and security personnel.
Alongside infrastructure development, Google announced four new programmes aimed at training approximately 800,000 Malaysians between 2027 and 2031.
The initiatives will focus on AI education for school students, digital skills for microentrepreneurs, AI training for local government officials and vocational training for people seeking employment in the data centre industry.
The company also outlined plans to strengthen water security through partnerships involving river basin restoration, constructed wetlands, pollution monitoring and rainwater harvesting systems at schools in Selangor.
Under its clean energy commitments, Google aims to add more than one gigawatt of new clean energy capacity to Malaysia’s National Grid. It will work with Tenaga Nasional Berhad to support renewable energy generation and explore projects capable of providing clean electricity around the clock.
Google also said it would pay for all the electricity consumed by its data centre campuses and the direct infrastructure costs required to connect them to the national grid.
The investment forms part of Google’s broader strategy to expand its AI and cloud computing capabilities while supporting Malaysia’s ambitions to develop a high-value digital economy.
