STT GDC Breaks Ground on 16MW Data Centre at Johor Campus

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres has begun building the first data centre at the Singapore-based firm’s campus in Malaysia’s Johor state, with the 16-megawatt facility scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2026.

The STT Johor campus spans 22 acres (8.9 hectares) at Nusa Cemerlang Industrial Park in Iskandar Puteri, 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) from Singapore, and has a development potential of 120MW of IT load, STT GDC said Monday in a release. STT Johor 1 is positioned to support both local operations and the firm’s interconnection hubs in Singapore and elsewhere in the region.

The groundbreaking comes 14 months after STT GDC announced the Johor campus as the Temasek-backed firm’s second project in Malaysia, following closely on the launch of a joint venture with local IT service provider Basis Bay to develop a 20MW complex in the Cyberjaya tech hub south of Kuala Lumpur.

“The STT Johor data centre campus marks a significant milestone for STT GDC in our efforts to deliver advanced digital infrastructure that can play a role in contributing to Malaysia’s ambitions to grow their digital economy leadership in the region,” said Darryll Sinnappa, STT GDC’s Malaysia country head.

Regional Connectivity

At a planned 89,040 square metres (958,320 square feet), STT Johor will feature a smart energy management system and AI-enabled cooling. The campus will carry out carbon-neutral operations with eco-friendly building materials, according to STT GDC.

The site’s access to Singapore allows the data centre campus to support STT Singapore 5, a regional interconnection hub that lets clients connect and exchange traffic to reduce overall costs. STT Singapore 5 supports both local and global companies including Singapore-based telecom group Singtel and Australian IT services firm Megaport.

In addition to STT Singapore 5, STT Johor 1 will connect to STT Kuala Lumpur 1 in Cyberjaya and STT GDC’s other interconnection hubs in Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines. The hook-ups are aimed at providing clients at STT Johor 1 with access to business opportunities in other major economies in the region.

Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim, chief executive of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, linked the latest milestone to the country’s New Industrial Master Plan 2030, a roadmap for creating a sustainable, tech-led economy with high-value jobs.

“MIDA remains steadfast in facilitating high-impact investments that drive technological advancements while ensuring inclusive progress,” the CEO said. “We extend our heartfelt congratulation to STT GDC on this momentous occasion and look forward to supporting its continued expansion as we build a thriving digital ecosystem in Malaysia together.”

Southeast Asia Crown

Malaysia secured MYR 141.7 billion ($31.6 billion) in digital infrastructure investments in the first 10 months of 2024 to solidify its standing as Southeast Asia’s top data centre hub, according to Knight Frank.

The country recorded an annual take-up of 429MW of capacity, well ahead of regional rivals Indonesia (93MW), Thailand (31MW), Vietnam (3MW) and the Philippines (1MW), the consultancy said. Demand centred on the hotbed of Johor, while take-up also improved in the Klang Valley surrounding the capital region.

STT GDC has a presence in seven Asia Pacific markets and 10 globally. Beyond its home market of Singapore, the firm operates in Thailand and the Philippines, where it is developing a 124MW campus in Metro Manila with local conglomerate Ayala Corp and Ayala’s telecom unit Globe. The firm entered Indonesia in June 2023 with a 72MW campus in West Java.

Beyond Southeast Asia, the firm has presences in India, South Korea and Japan, as well as Germany and the UK.