Microsoft announced the launch of its first Malaysian datacenter region as part of Bersama Malaysia, or Together With Malaysia, initiative.

The datacenter region in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area will deliver access to the full Microsoft Cloud, the company stated, which includes a broad range of Azure services, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform. 

The new datacenter region will also deliver Azure Availability Zones. The new investments will also align with Microsoft's commitment to shift to 100 percent supply of renewable energy by 2025, the company stated. 

By the end of 2023, Microsoft plans to upskill one million Malaysian workers. It will also form the MyDigital Alliance Leadership Council. IDC research indicates that the investment will generate up to 4.6 billion USD in new revenues in the country and 19,000 direct jobs with Microsoft and its partners.

"As we cement the Microsoft partnership today, I hope this is just the first green shoots of a broader meadow of investments in Malaysia, for Microsoft and other data players. This significant investment from Microsoft further fortifies Malaysia’s position as a potential regional data hub and we stand ever ready to welcome more such partners as we work with our stakeholders to continually improve Malaysia’s value proposition in this big data space," stated YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Prime Minister of Malaysia.

"Today’s announcement represents a major milestone for Microsoft in the 28 years we have been operating in Malaysia. We share the Government’s commitment that digital transformation must be inclusive and responsible. As such, we pledge to empower 1 million Malaysians with digital skills, helping them to take advantage of the opportunities this new investment will bring. Building digital infrastructure is fundamental to advancing a nation’s digital economy. The upcoming datacenter region will be a game-changer for Malaysia, enabling the government and businesses to reimagine and transform their operations, to the benefit of all citizens," said Jean-Philippe Courtois, Executive Vice President and President, Microsoft Global Sales, Marketing and Operations, in a statement.