Meeting the rising demand for data hosting at home and abroad
With the expansion of its data centres in Cyberjaya and Johor, telecommunications company TM Global is poised to drive the next phase of national and regional digital transformation.
Malaysia is Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing data centre market, driven by its strategic location, land availability and cost-effective energy infrastructure. Photos: TM Global
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The global demand for secure and reliable data hosting services is surging, driven by the rapid expansion of cloud-based technologies. In Southeast Asia, the digital economy is projected to reach US$330 billion (S$443 billion) by 2025, fuelling the need for scalable and robust digital infrastructure across the region.
To address this demand, TM Global – TM’s wholesale business arm – is embarking on the next phase of its roadmap to strengthen its digital leadership by 2030, in turn elevating Malaysia’s position as a regional hub for connectivity and innovation.
Malaysia’s strategic location, abundance of land and cost-effective energy infrastructure provide compelling advantages, making it the fastest-growing data centre market in Southeast Asia. Between the second quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, the country achieved an 80 per cent increase in operational capacity.
With five data centres in Malaysia and one in Hong Kong, TM Global will further strengthen Southeast Asia’s digital ecosystem with upcoming expansions at the Klang Valley Data Centre (KVDC) in Cyberjaya, Selangor, and Iskandar Puteri Data Centre (IPDC) in Johor.
BOOSTING SUSTAINABILITY AND PERFORMANCE
Scheduled to commence commercial operations this year, the KVDC and IPDC expansions are expected to deliver a combined IT load of 20 megawatts. Both facilities are designed to meet Tier III of the Uptime Institute’s performance standards and are targeting a silver rating under the globally recognised Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification.
Ms Khairul Liza Ibrahim, executive vice president of TM Global, highlighted the significance of KVDC and IPDC within Malaysia’s digital ecosystem, positioning them as international gateways and interconnected points for supporting 5G networks.
“Besides incorporating sustainable designs, the second phase of these data centre expansions will boost TM’s capacity to support hyperscalers, over-the-top (OTT) players, cloud, as well as next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) providers,” she said.
Security within the data centres is reinforced through multi-factor authentication measures such as anti-passback man traps and biometric access controls, supported by up to nine levels of physical security. TM Global also provides software-based security services, including managed firewalls, web filtering, as well as intrusion prevention and detection.
TM Global’s data centre network is further strengthened by eight edge facilities that support high-performance computing and co-location services. With over 160 content delivery network nodes – including more than 50 strategically positioned across Asia Pacific – these facilities reduce latency by bringing content closer to end users, ensuring seamless and uninterrupted data delivery.
Additionally, TM Global is working with Singtel’s Nxera – a regional sustainable data centre plaform – to develop a hyperconnected, AI-ready facility. This collaboration will accelerate the growth of its digital services, including cloud computing, advanced analytics and the Internet of Things.
SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE REGION
TM Global’s acquisition of a facilities-based operator licence in Singapore marks a strategic milestone in expanding its data centre footprint and enhancing cross-border connectivity across key Southeast Asian markets, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. The licence enables TM Global to establish and manage its own network infrastructure in Singapore, reinforcing secure data-centre-to-data-centre connectivity through its robust domestic fibre optics network and international submarine cable systems.
“Leveraging submarine cable systems such as the Nusantara Gateway, we are able to connect data centres across Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia’s Batam, allowing us to meet the growing demand for connectivity across the region,” said Ms Khairul Liza.
In support of Malaysia’s digital ambitions, TM Global has also launched the country’s first GPU-as-a-service (GPUaaS) offering, designed to bolster Malaysia’s AI infrastructure and accelerate digital transformation. Powered by NVIDIA GPU technology hosted entirely within TM’s Uptime Tier-III certified data centres, the solution delivers low-latency, high-performance AI computing with full data sovereignty and security.
GPUaaS eliminates the need for capital-intensive infrastructure by offering scalable, on-demand access to cutting-edge resources. Backed by TM’s nationwide fibre optic network and edge computing facilities, it seamlessly integrates GPU resources with high-speed connectivity to support a wide range of AI-driven applications, from public services and healthcare diagnostics to autonomous vehicles and immersive media.
Through its robust infrastructure, TM Global empowers local enterprises, hyperscalers and AI solution providers with the tools to drive innovation and foster digital integration. It also offers expert guidance for seamless migrations from on-premises data centres, supported by certified onsite assistance and round-the-clock monitoring to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
With a comprehensive portfolio that includes multi-edge computing and content delivery services, TM Global is shaping the future of data hosting and digital infrastructure across the region.
Learn more about TM Global's data hosting solutions.
