Princeton Digital Group (PDG), a Singapore-based data center provider, has entered into a definitive agreement with JLand Group (JLG), Johor Corporation’s real estate and infrastructure arm, for the acquisition of 31 acres of land in Sedenak Tech Park (STeP), Johor, Malaysia, to build a 150 MW hyperscale campus.

With an investment of MYR2 billion ($450 million), the first phase of 60 MW is planned to be ready for commencement of operations by the second quarter of 2024, PDG said in a statement on Monday.

The project marks PDG’s entry into Malaysia, its sixth country after Singapore, China, Indonesia, India, and Japan.

Named JH1, the data center will be one of the largest DC campuses in Southeast Asia to serve the infrastructure needs of customers across the region.

“Our entry into Malaysia adds to PDG’s growing footprint in Asia, further strengthening our presence as the Pan-Asia digital infrastructure leader,” said Rangu Salgame, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PDG.

Asher Ling, Chief Technology Officer and Managing Director of PDG, Singapore, further added that the firm has a deep understanding of hyperscaler needs as they expand their presence in Southeast Asia while requiring access to best in class digital infrastructure.

“Sedenak Tech Park with its strong power and connectivity
infrastructure, and other enabling factors is the ideal site for our hyperscale development,

“Our data center will utilize next-generation, cutting-edge
sustainable technology solutions. We are also actively collaborating with local partners and regulators to integrate renewable energy initiatives for powering our
facility,” she added.

Syed Mohamed, President and Chief Executive of Johor Corporation and Chairman of JLG, said tt this point, the focus for JLG is expanding data center opportunities as investors and operators are prioritizing the sector’s fast-growing prospects.

Through the firm’s integrated offerings at Sedenak Tech Park (STeP), he said the firm remains committed to strengthening Johor’s position as a regional data center hub given its capability to meet the accelerating demand.

He also said PDG’s entry into Johor and STeP is a strong validation of JLG’s strategy and offerings.

“With more companies and communities targeting to introduce next-gen digital tools and strategies, the demand for reliable, smart, and resilient data storage will grow exponentially,

“Therefore, the drive is on for us to improve the sustainability performance of data centers through Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platforms, energy and power monitoring, and innovative cooling technologies,” he added.

JLG also announced the expansion of its 640-acre data center park, STeP 2, which is projected to be ready in September 2024.

As part of the larger Ibrahim Technopolis (IBTEC) development, STeP 2 will be powered by a solar photovoltaic farm, in line with the Low Carbon Cities Framework (LCCF).

Further, STeP 2 is set to benefit from IBTECs’ preparations in achieving Malaysia Digital (MD) Cybercenter status.

According to the statement, Asia Pacific’s rapid growth of cloud computing, e-commerce, and big data applications has led to expansion of data center capacity and smart infrastructure systems.

In the recently announced Knight Frank SEA-5 Data Centre Opportunity Index (SEA-5 Index), Malaysia was identified as the top destination for data center investment, with take up of 113 MW and gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 8.7 percent in 2022.

This affirms Malaysia’s position as one of the region’s fastest growing colocation markets, steadily drawing in investors and data center operators.

PDG is a developer and operator of internet infrastructure.

Headquartered in Singapore with presence and operations in China, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan, its portfolio of data centers powers the expansion of hyperscalers and enterprises in the fastest-growing digital economies across Asia.

JLG is a firm focusing on spearheading the group’s real estate and infrastructure businesses.

Its portfolio spans across diversified real estate activities and investments, including integrated parks, industrial, logistics and data centers.

JLG’s core businesses encompass four strategic areas, namely real estate development, asset lifecycle management, real estate investment and infrastructure and utilities, allowing for strategic value optimization for its businesses and assets across diverse industry presence.

Princeton Digital to invest $1B for data center campus in Malaysia and Indonesia