Malaysia’s Billionaire Tycoons, Including Robert Kuok, Eye Windfall in Data Center Boom

As global demand for cloud computing, AI services, and digital infrastructure accelerates, Malaysia is positioning itself as Southeast Asia’s rising data center powerhouse. Spearheading this charge are the country’s most influential business magnates, including billionaire Robert Kuok, who are now pivoting towards the digital gold rush.

The Digital Transformation of Malaysia

Malaysia attracted over RM148 billion (approx. $31.5 billion USD) in data center investments in 2024, a significant leap from just RM48 billion in 2023. The country’s data center market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.4% from 2024 to 2030, according to a report by Knight Frank and Technavio.

This momentum is driven by:

• Rising cloud computing and AI workloads
• Strategic geographical positioning near Singapore
• Government support for tech infrastructure and renewable energy adoption
• Availability of large tracts of land and cheaper electricity rates

Billionaire Robert Kuok: A Strategic Shift?

Robert Kuok, Malaysia’s richest man with a net worth of over $11 billion, is known for his conservative and diversified investment strategy through the Kuok Group. While the group hasn’t publicly confirmed direct involvement in data center development, industry insiders suggest Kuok may be evaluating entry via his logistics and property assets, particularly in Johor and Iskandar Malaysia — regions at the center of this boom.

The Kuok Group has holdings in real estate, logistics, and agribusiness, placing it in a prime position to support or house data center infrastructure, especially via subsidiaries like PPB Group and Kerry Logistics.

Leading Malaysian Tycoons Powering the Boom

✅ Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum – Mah Sing Group

• Partnered with Bridge Data Centres
• Developing a 500MW hyperscale data center park in Southville City, Selangor
• Estimated value: RM12–15 billion

✅ Datuk Seri Azmir Merican – Sime Darby Property

• Building a Google-powered hyperscale facility (RM2 billion) in Elmina Business Park
• First phase to be operational by Q3 2025

✅ Gooi Seong Lim – Crescendo Corp

• Sold RM792 million worth of land to major players like Microsoft, ByteDance, and STT GDC

✅ Datuk Lin Yun Ling – Gamuda Berhad

• Secured RM3.5 billion in construction contracts for data centers in Cyberjaya and Sungai Buloh

These developers are either building or leasing to AWS, Microsoft Azure, Tencent Cloud, and others who see Malaysia as a strategic backup to Singapore’s space-limited data center market.

Johor: The Next “Digital Port”

Johor’s proximity to Singapore, combined with its lower operational costs and vast land availability, has made it the “Digital Port of Southeast Asia.”

The state government, in partnership with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), has earmarked Iskandar Puteri and Sedenak Tech Park as core digital zones. Sedenak alone is expected to house over 700MW of capacity by 2027.

Environmental Sustainability & Policy Support

While the boom is promising, concerns about the environmental footprint are surfacing. Data centers are high consumers of:

• Electricity (est. 1.5–2% of global use)
• Water (for cooling systems)

To address this, Malaysia plans to require 80% of all new data center energy needs to be sourced from renewables by 2035, supported by the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).

Outlook: Billionaire Confidence Meets Tech Opportunity

With AI workloads and cloud services expected to grow by 25% CAGR in Asia-Pacific, data centers are no longer just a tech story—they’re a real estate, logistics, and energy story. Malaysian tycoons, including Robert Kuok, are poised to capitalize on this digital transformation.

Should the Kuok Group formally enter the sector, it would validate the data center boom as a generational wealth opportunity—where land, logistics, and power converge.