Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son plans a $50 billion technology investment in Malaysia, selecting locations in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia for artificial intelligence and data center projects. The announcement follows $94 billion in data center investments recorded by Malaysia between 2021 and mid-2026 from global firms including Google and Microsoft, supporting Malaysia's goal of becoming an AI nation by 2030.
SoftBank's planned investment in Malaysia
- ▪SoftBank Group signed framework agreements with partners in October 2026 to explore artificial intelligence infrastructure and ecosystem development in Sarawak
- ▪SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son selected sites in Sarawak, including Kuching, and Peninsular Malaysia for a planned $50 billion technology investment in artificial intelligence, new technology, and data centers
- ▪Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that SoftBank Group's investment will create employment opportunities for younger workers and depends on national political stability
- ▪Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced SoftBank Group's $50 billion investment plan during a speech in Melaka on October 24, 2026, following an October 20, 2026 video conference with Masayoshi Son
Data center investments in Malaysia
- ▪Technology companies including Amazon.com Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Alphabet Inc.'s Google have selected Malaysia as a major destination for data center investments
- ▪Malaysia recorded 385.7 billion ringgit ($94 billion) in data-center-related investments from 2021 through the first half of 2026, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority
Malaysia's technology goals
- ▪Malaysia established a goal to become an 'AI nation' by 2030 while pushing data-center operators to support local suppliers and shifting technology capabilities into front-end segments
- ▪Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that the country must strengthen its capabilities in semiconductors, digitalization, and workforce skills
SoftBank's other data center projects
- ▪SoftBank Group's telecom unit is constructing data centers in Hokkaido and Sakai, Osaka, within Japan
- ▪SoftBank Group is developing a $500 billion data center project in Ohio and a project in France costing up to 75 billion euros ($84 billion)
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