AirTrunk, the Australia-based hyperscale data center platform, has announced plans to invest MYR 12 billion ($3 billion) to develop two new data centers in Malaysia, to be called JHB3 and JHB4.

This investment further expands AirTrunk’s footprint in Johor Bahru and reinforces its commitment to Southeast Asia’s rapidly growing digital economy, the firm said in a statement on Thursday.

Located in Iskandar Puteri in Johor, JHB3 and JHB4 will have a combined capacity of more than 280 megawatts (MW) of IT load and will locate close proximity to its existing JHB1 and JHB2 campuses.

Between the four campuses in Malaysia, AirTrunk will have more than 700MW of IT load, bringing AirTrunk’s total committed investment in Malaysia to approximately MYR 27 billion ($6.8 billion), underscoring the company’s long-term commitment to the region.

These campuses will be purpose-built to support high-density cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, featuring a flexible, scalable, and resilient design.

The designs prioritize energy efficiency, operating at significantly lower power usage levels than conventional data centers.

The campuses will also include advanced cooling systems that utilize 100 percent recycled water, minimizing any impact on local resources.

Together, these features position the development to meet the growing demand from global cloud and technology providers, while staying committed to the responsible use of energy and water.

AirTrunk’s current expansion follows its announcement of JHB2 campus in early 2025, which has already garnered strong commitments from its existing global cloud and AI customers.

The existing JHB1 and JHB2 campuses (totalling more than 420MW of IT load) are almost 100 percent contracted and tracking well ahead of investment plans.

AirTrunk is committed to supporting local economy and have already awarded MYR423 million ($107 million) to local suppliers, and this number is expected to grow to MYR 5 billion ($1.3 billion) on completion of all four campuses.

This expansion follows AirTrunk’s announcement of entry into India last week, supported by its planned investment of more than $5 billion into the Indian market in the near-term.

“JHB3 and JHB4 represents the next phase of our expansion in Malaysia, building on the strong momentum of our existing Johor platform. Malaysia has set a clear ambition to lead in AI, and we’re investing in that vision for the long term, both within Johor and across the country in time,

“Our confidence comes from the strong partnership we have with the Malaysian Government and local stakeholders, who have supported us every step of the way. As we scale, the way we grow will matter as much as the trajectory. With that investment comes a responsibility to support communities, manage resources wisely, and embed that in how we plan, build and operate every day,” said Robin Khuda, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AirTrunk.

Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Malaysia, said Malaysia is committed to strengthening its position as a leading digital and AI hub in the region.

“Our ambition is to be at the forefront of the digital and AI economy, supported by strong infrastructure, a robust ecosystem and responsible development in digital infrastructure,

“Investments like AirTrunk’s Johor expansion reflect growing confidence in Malaysia and play an important role in advancing innovation, talent development and long-term economic benefit for both the community and the environment,” he said, adding that AirTrunk’s data center investment aligns with the country’s vision of efficiency, sustainability and the use of clean energy.

It is noted that Malaysia is advancing its ambition to become a leading digital and AI hub in the region through a coordinated approach that brings together strong government policy, infrastructure readiness and close collaboration with industry partners.

This public–private partnership model is accelerating investment, innovation and the development of a robust digital ecosystem to support long-term, sustainable growth, said the statement.

The development of JHB3 and JHB4 is expected to generate significant economic benefits for Johor and Malaysia, including creating more than 3,000 jobs during construction, ongoing employment to local talent once operational, and partnerships with local suppliers and contractors to support regional industry.

AirTrunk said the firm is also committed to supporting local communities through targeted education, digital inclusion and social impact initiatives that build pathways into future careers.

Post JHB3 and JHB4, AirTrunk said will scale to more than over 3.3 GW of operating and planned capacity, across 22 campuses in six operating regions (Australia, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and India) as of today.

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