DayOne & Boston Consulting Group’s Joint Research – Malaysia’s Data Center Opportunity

At a recent milestone ceremony reflecting our commitment to sustainable digital infrastructure, DayOne Data Centers and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shared findings from our joint research on Malaysia’s data center opportunity. The insights show just how far-reaching the impact of digital infrastructure can be—well beyond construction, connectivity, and compute.

The findings were presented by BCG’s MD & Partner Olivier Rival, highlighting how data centers contribute to economic growth, sustainability, and Malaysia’s digital competitiveness.

A fast-growing regional hub

Malaysia is on track to become one of Asia’s largest data center markets, with projected supply capacity reaching 4.2–6.1 GW by 2030—growing at nearly 39% CAGR from 2023—driven by pioneers like DayOne, with two hyperscale campuses in Johor. With strong subsea cable connectivity particularly in Johor, linked to Singapore’s landing stations, Malaysia is well-positioned to serve latency-sensitive workloads while attracting regional and international demand.

A MYR 390B economic engine

Between 2024–2030, data centers could generate:
- MYR 290–390 billion in total output (direct + indirect + induced)
- 130,000–190,000 jobs, including high-skilled digital roles

Local supply chain boost

Localization of equipment and services is expected to add MYR 24–32 billion in additional economic output. DayOne’s global suppliers have committed over RM1B to local production and servicing.

Catalyzing regional growth zones

Data centers act as anchor tenants in industrial zones like the Johor-Singapore SEZ, unlocking further infrastructure and economic activity.

Enabler of green transition

Malaysia will need 6GW of additional power and upgraded utilities to meet future DC demand by 2030. DayOne is the nation's very first mover under the CRESS scheme, securing up to 500MW of renewable energy with TNB.

Investing in future talent

Malaysia’s data center sector is building a future-ready workforce—and DayOne is helping lead the way. We partner with universities like UTM and MMU and run intensive training programs to equip the next generation of talent with the skills needed to operate and lead in a high-performance digital infrastructure environment.

Backbone for AI and digital economy

Data centers support Budget 2025, NIMP 2030, and the Madani Economy by enabling AI adoption, strengthening data sovereignty, and supporting Malaysia’s goal for the digital economy to contribute 25.5% of GDP by 2025.

At DayOne, we’re proud to be at the forefront of digital infrastructure development—working with partners and policymakers to advance Malaysia’s ambitions for a sustainable, resilient, and competitive digital economy.