Citaglobal Bhd believes a comprehensive and practical policy and framework which provides full support to local players is essential to move the national renewable energy (RE) agenda a step further.

Its executive chairman and president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the group is ready and confident to execute its new RE-related projects, in line with the policies and framework to be implemented by the Federal Government.

“We want to highlight to the Government that we are fully supportive of the policies and we are more than ready and eager to start as soon as possible,” he told StarBiz.

A binding agreement ceremony of Citaglobal and TIZA Global Sdn Bhd as a consortium, together with Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar), was signed on Dec 1, 2023 at the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28).

This agreement was witnessed by His Majesty KDYMM SPB YDPA and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE, with a total development cost of approximately RM9.75 bil.

Added to the earlier memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Shanghai SUS Environment Co Ltd for waste-to-energy (WTE) projects in October 2023, which is estimated to inject another RM15bil to Malaysia’s foreign direct investment (FDI), Norza believes the government and Citaglobal are working hand-in hand to jointly encourage more FDis into Malaysia.

“We together with support from the Government have brought in these foreign investments, and of course, these foreign investors would hope for some support and assistance from our government either in the forms of incentives or policies relaxation which are competitive with regional countries.

We hope the government will help to facilitate, and we will also play our part,” he said.

In relation to the recent binding agreement with Masdar, Norza said it shows that Project 2 gigawatt (GW) is a progression from an MoU to an actual binding agreement.

“This shows the intention of the parties to work together and it isn’t just talk. It took us about 6 to 7 months, from MOU to JDA and this demonstrates clearly that if all stakeholders work together, projects can be materialised.”

He added that Citaglobal is looking at a capital structure of around 20% to 30% in equity and balance in debt financing from the development of the 2GW farm in Pahang.

The project involves the proposed development of up to 2GW of RE and will see the construction of ground-mounted solar arrays, floating solar farms, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) across multiple sites in suitable land, dams, and lakes across the state.

Citaglobal has earlier secured a Letter of Intent from MRL for the ERCL Independent Power Producer Project (“IPP”), which we believe ERCL IPP Project will potentially be the off-taker for the 2GW project.

Norza said that Citaglobal’s overall strategy currently, is to build up its order book via being an EPCC or turnkey contractor.

Once it has grown in size over the next 5 to 10 years, Citaglobal will move to progressively become an asset owner.

This asset-light strategy is to ensure Citaglobal grows its balance sheet and capital structure in an orderly manner.

“We will certainly invest more in asset owners when our balance sheet is stronger,” said Norza.

Norza also said the reality is that Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) will be one of the largest components of renewable energy in Malaysia moving forward. This is due to the intermittency of energy supply, and the need to strengthen and stabilise the National grid.

Citaglobal is forefronting in this space with its first and only Malaysia-made and locally produced by Malaysian talents, engineers and subject matters expert BESS known as MYBESS, through a collaboration with Genetec Technology Berhad, a Main Board technology company listed on Bursa Malaysia, through a 50:50 consortium, Citaglobal Genetec BESS Sdn Bhd.

“One of our key competitive advantages and value proposition over other players is our MYBESS. This is where we and our technology partner, Genetec met up with Masdar and said, we have a Malaysian-made BESS, we are very competitive and we want to collaborate with you,” he stated.

This is said to be in line with Masdar’s aim to expand its presence within the Southeast Asian region, whereby Citaglobal said it will help Masdar realise.

Moving forward, Norza said this collaboration will keep the company busy, with the future looking good for Citaglobal.

“We are just at the beginning and many more new opportunities are knocking on our door, but we will only choose those that bring the most value to our shareholders,” he said.

He said that based on the group’s existing orderbook of more than RM1bil, the construction sector will temporarily contribute to the bulk of our profits while building for the renewable energy and telecommunication sectors.

“Nonetheless, it is our goal to transform to become an RE and telecommunication player in the future,” he said.

In addition, he stated the group is constantly looking for suitable partners who can join forces with Citaglobal to make the 2GW project a success.

Parties such as TNB Renewables Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Bhd, and SPIC Energy, a subsidiary of China State Power Investment Corp (SPIC), are among the external parties that have expressed interest to be a part of the 2GW project.

On a separate note, Citaglobal is one of the main sponsors of the Malaysian Pavilion in conjunction with the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) with the intention of making a significant and powerful impact in the RE space in Malaysia as well as the region.

Source: The Star

Support for local RE players crucial

Malaysia stands as the top destination in Southeast Asia for electricity-guzzling data centre investment, with a raft of new and emerging investments that will hit nearly 1,000 megawatts (MW) in five years, market insiders said.

From just 113MW of take-up in 2022, the capacity is expected to hit more than 900MW in phases over the next five years due to lower land, energy and labour costs compared to neighbouring Singapore, they added.

So far, six new data centres have been completed, which will consume about 292MW of electricity, Kenanga Research analyst Teh Kian Yeong wrote.

Tenaga Nasional Bhd had signed electricity supply agreements with eight data centres for 2,000MW of electricity, Teh said, adding that a total demand of 7,000MW of electricity from data centres was expected by 2035.

According to Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Malaysia had received investments worth RM76 billion involving data centres between 2021 and March this year.

The medium-term projection is nothing short of remarkable, with an expected average annual growth rate of 16 per cent or around RM9.36 billion, from 2021 to 2026.

Adrian Koh, head of the secure power division of Schneider Electric Malaysia, said the rapid expansion of data centres in Malaysia has created a high demand for skilled professionals who can design, build, operate and maintain these complex infrastructures.

However, as the demand for data centres continues to grow exponentially, a pressing issue poses a significant challenge: the talent shortage in this crucial industry, Koh said.

According to a prediction by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation in December 2022, the demand for such talent is projected to experience a compounded annual growth rate of 7.59 per cent annually in the next three years.

A report by Uptime Institute indicates that by 2025, at least 2.3 million full-time staff will be required to keep data centres globally operational, with demand coming mainly from internet giants and colocation providers in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

Koh said in today’s increasingly digitised world, data centres play a vital role in housing and managing the massive amounts of information generated by individuals, businesses and governments.

“These facilities serve as the backbone of modern technology, supporting everything from cloud computing to artificial intelligence.

“Owing to its expansive land availability and power resources, seamless global connectivity, and supportive governmental regulations, Malaysia has emerged as a strategic and ideal destination for investment in data centres,” he said.

Koh said to address the shortage of data centre talent, industry leaders must work together to improve recruitment, enhance training, and increase awareness of opportunities.

He said traditional hiring and mentorship strategies must be replaced with new approaches that leverage the latest digital transformation and innovation trends.

Individuals with backgrounds in fields like project management, logistics, customer service and even the arts can possess transferable skills that are highly applicable to data centre operations.

“By tapping into this talent pool, data centre players can access a broader range of adaptable professionals who can contribute to projects without the need for time-consuming recruitment procedures,” he said.

KGV International Property Consultants executive director Samuel Tan said in Johor, data centre developments have been the key driver for investors since the moratorium by the Singapore government a few years ago.

“It has since been lifted but is very selective in granting approval. Johor is a natural choice due to its proximity to Singapore and the abundance of land and utilities.

“However, there is a need to regulate this industry as it consumes a lot of power and water and has limited job opportunities. A master policy must be put into place to regulate it so that it is sustainable and brings tangible results to the economy and the people,” he told Business Times.

Source: NST

Malaysia may emerge as Asean hub

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing of an implementation roadmap to advance the development of 10GW of clean energy projects in Malaysia.

The roadmap, signed between Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar) and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida), includes plans to develop ground-mounted, rooftop and floating solar power plants, onshore wind farms and battery energy storage systems, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in October.

The agreement, signed by Masdar chief executive officer Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi and Mida chief executive officer Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, paved way for five additional agreements to develop new solar and wind energy projects in Malaysia, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

Together, these five deals will unlock up to 8GW of clean energy across Malaysia.

The deals are a Joint Development Agreement for 2GW of solar plants with Citaglobal Berhad Tiza Global in Malaysia, a Collaboration Agreement with Tadau Energy and PSK to develop 2GW of wind power in Malaysia, and a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding with Cypark Resources Berhad for up to 1GW of renewable energy projects in Malaysia.

The other two deals reached were on the Heads of Agreement with Malakoff to develop solar photovoltaic power projects with a targeted aggregate capacity of up to 1GW and a Memorandum of Understanding with Citaglobal Berhad and TNB Renewables to develop 2GW of renewable energy projects.

These agreements, signed at the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), currently ongoing in Dubai, demonstrate Masdar’s ongoing commitment to Malaysia and to supporting the country’s ambitious target of 70 per cent renewable energy installed capacity and net-zero emissions by 2050.

Source: Bernama

Agong, UAE president witness roadmap signing of Malaysia clean energy projects

Citaglobal Bhd and TIZA Global Sdn Bhd have entered into a 40:60 joint development agreement (JDA) with clean energy company Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar) to build a US$2 billion (RM9.75 billion) two-gigawatt (2GW) solar farm in Pahang.

According to Citaglobal, the project will involve the construction of ground-mounted solar arrays, floating solar farms and battery energy storage systems (BESS) across multiple sites in suitable land, dams, lakes and offshore perimeters across Pahang. 

It will be developed in multiple phases, over five years.

The project forms part of the 10GW for which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Masdar and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) on Oct 9. 

As part of the MoU, Masdar formed a strategic partnership with MIDA and committed to the implementation of 10GW of clean energy projects in Malaysia with a total investment of US$8 billion.

Being at the most advanced stage of the JDA, Citaglobal expects to be one of the earliest to initiate such project in Pahang.

At this stage, Citaglobal and TIZA will hold a 40 per cent stake in the project, with the remaining 60 per cent held by Masdar. 

Each participating entity will be responsible for funding its respective share of the project development cost. 

The initial development cost of the project will be determined at a later date.

Citaglobal will fund the subscription of its portion of the initial share capital through proceeds from its private placement exercise completed earlier, or internally generated funds.

Citaglobal executive chairman and president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said together with Masdar,  the company is confident of making faster progress towards its climate targets, besides meeting Malaysia’s long-term energy requirements in a responsible and cost-efficient manner.

“To the state of Pahang, the benefits from this project will significantly outweigh its cost. 

“Besides the obvious economic multiplier effect, the livelihoods of the people of Pahang will be greatly enhanced via social innovations and environmental protection.

“This is similar to how Masdar aims to power 50,000 homes and offset 214,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from its first floating photovoltaic project in Cirata, West Java in Indonesia,” he said. 

Masdar chief executive officer Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said the company is very proud to be strengthening its support for Malaysia’s renewable energy ambitions with this partnership. 

“As a clean energy pioneer with over 17 years’ experience in deploying renewable and clean energy projects at scale, we look forward to helping build Malaysia’s renewable energy capacity with this agreement in support of its net-zero targets,” he added. 

Citaglobal and Masdar had signed an MoU that served as an initial agreement to jointly develop clean energy projects in Pahang.

Source: NST

Citaglobal, Abu Dhabi energy giant Masdar to build US$2bil solar farm in Pahang

By Yong Soo Heong

IT’S not always that Malaysia gets recognised as among the top in the world for something. In days gone by, we were the top rubber, tin and palm oil producers. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we were the supreme rubber glove makers.

In recent times, Malaysia was named one of the top three 5G network performers in the world, after the United Arab Emirates and South Korea.

Work on the nationwide 5G network began earnestly after the establishment of Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) in 2021.

Work is one year ahead of schedule and without any cost overruns. To date, 5G coverage has expanded to more than 70 per cent of the country.

The performance of 5G networks is much stronger than 4G, with the former providing 13 times faster download speeds and five times faster upload speeds than the latter.

Simply put, it’s the latest generation of cellular technology delivering faster, more reliable and lower latency connectivity.

Ookla, a Web testing and network diagnostics company, recently showed how much Malaysia has progressed; it now ranks third globally for 5G download speed — 485.25Mbps — according to Speedtest Intelligence data for the third quarter of 2023.

Malaysia’s position on the Speedtest Global Index also improved, climbing 45 places from 86th in September 2021 to 41st in September 2023, ahead of neighbours Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as some developed markets like the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany.

Kudos to the Communications and Digital Ministry for overseeing this feat that is part of efforts to revolutionise our everyday experiences and open up a future of unparalleled possibilities.

The possibilities involve a potential gross domestic product boost of RM150 billion and 750,000 new jobs by 2030. Other benefits include enhancing economic sectors like oil and gas, ports, tourism, education, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, retail, as well as utilities.

DNB’s primary role is to roll out a single wholesale network for 5G. This is aimed at centralising the infrastructure rollout, promoting efficient use of resources, cost savings and equitable 5G access across urban and rural populations.

The 5G network rollout by DNB, an entity under the Minister of Finance Inc, is expected to cost RM16.5 billion between now and 2030, with RM12.5 billion for network equipment and infrastructure and RM4 billion for corporate expenditure. And the deployment will be financed exclusively by the private sector.

The RM12.5 billion compares favourably with the estimates of the MyDIGITAL Blueprint and National 5G Task Force Report of December 2019, which put the incremental cost of upgrading just one 4G network to 5G at RM7.5 billion.

Based on the task force’s estimates, the deployment of the 5G network collectively by the four major telcos would likely cost more than RM30 billion.

It appears that everything is humming along fine for the 5G rollout as all six local telcos have signed the access agreement with DNB and coverage is expected to reach 80 per cent by the end of this year. The telcos, however, have yet to sign the subscription agreement with DNB, as they are ironing out a few details.

There are also plans to have another entity run a second 5G network. Two 5G networks will certainly contribute positively to the national digitalisation agenda. But will having two be overkill? That question is perhaps best answered by those in the know.

Some also wonder whether 5G wholesale network entities may eventually be privatised and left to the telcos to operate. If this were to be the case, then what priorities come first — national interest or profitability?

Industry insiders stress that even if the government were to pursue a privatised two-entity scenario, it should still be in the driver’s seat to ensure oversight for the benefit of the people.

As for telecommunication equipment supplies and installation, they believe that given the government’s open-door policy, all infrastructure equipment vendors, either Western or non-Western, should have ample opportunities for core networks, private networks, fibre connections and backhaul, to name a few.

In the final analysis, efficient access to 5G at competitive rates is paramount to the people and will reinforce Malaysia’s position as an attractive business location.

The writer is a former Bernama chief executive officer and editor-in-chief

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times

Source: NST

Better 5G will strengthen Malaysia’s business attractiveness

Gamuda Bhd’s property division Gamuda Land has allocated an investment of up to RM150mil to develop a mid-scale lifestyle hotel at Gamuda Cove slated to be opened in the first quarter of 2026.

Gamuda Land chief executive officer (CEO) Chu Wai Lune said the hotel will be managed by Dusit Hotels and Resorts, the hotel arm of Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies.

“The hotel will have 280 rooms and will be operating under Dusit’s distinctive locally focused lifestyle brand, Asai Hotels, which promises to uniquely link curious travellers with authentic local experiences.

“Asai Gamuda Cove hotel will enjoy the distinction of being the first hotel signed under Dusit’s expanded ‘Asai Tropical’ model, specifically tailored for properties located in areas of outstanding natural beauty,” he told reporters after signing the hotel management agreement in conjunction with the ground breaking ceremony in Sepang yesterday.

The event was also witnessed by the Thai ambassador to Malaysia Lada Phumas.

Chu said expanding into the hotel line was part of the company’s strategy to complete its ecosystem by providing a new service to its township.

Gamuda Land chief commercial officer Eusoffe Chua said Gamuda Cove is a mindfully planned township development offering exciting eco-friendly tourism activities including adventure and water parks.

“We are thrilled to align with Dusit, a strategic partner that shares our unwavering commitment to creating interconnected spaces where everyone can seamlessly integrate their living, working and recreational experiences,” Chua said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Investment Development Authority CEO Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman said in a statement that Gamuda Land’s launch of Asai Gamuda Cove marked its first hotel project in collaboration with Dusit International in Selangor’s vibrant hospitality scene.

“This decision stands as a testament to the growing positive business sentiment among investors in Malaysia’s tourism sector,” he added.

Source: Bernama

Gamuda Land to build RM150mil hotel in Gamuda Cove

As Cyberjaya is poised to become the preferred investment location for technology companies to set up their data centres, concerns of increasing emissions and the consumption of resources must be addressed.

Illustrating the growth of demand for data centres, Cyberview Sdn Bhd (Cyberview) chief executive officer Kamarul Ariffin Abdul Samad said the ever-increasing demand for data processing which was triggered by digitalisation and automation, makes data centres a critical backbone of the digital age.

He said Malaysia and particularly Cyberjaya had also been capatilising on the Asia Pacific region increasing digitalisation which is abetted by the strength of its e-commerce growth and mobile penetration that provide access to massive digital content.

“…This new development underpins an increasing demand for data centres in a rapidly growing digital economy, and the role Cyberjaya plays in catering to the digital infrastructure needed.

“Additionally, recent trends indicate further growth in this sector can be expected in the immediate to mid-term,” he said in a statement today.

However, Kamarul Ariffin said the recent evolvement of data centres in par with artificial intelligence (AI) technology development and its adoption into mainstream working culture does not come without concerns regarding its sustainability implications.

“For example, a researcher from the University of California, Riverside, said that OpenAI’s generative AI, ChatGPT, needs one small bottle of mineral water to cool down for every five to 50 prompts it answers…. Meanwhile, Google has also reported an increase of 20 per cent in water consumption across its offices and data centres due to the shift towards growing its AI efforts.

”While advancements of technology are inevitable, and supporting its growth is necessary, constantly encouraging and embracing innovation in the space of sustainability in tandem, is of equal importance,” he said.

As such, Kamarul Ariffin said the conservation of the environment and a sustainable approach to development in this sector must be seen as ‘second nature’ moving forward.

Towards this end, he said, Cyberview had recently co-organised a workshop on harnessing potential renewable gases and cogeneration (CoGen) technologies to benefit data centres with the Malaysian Gas Association (MGA) in support with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).

Moreover, he said the company had also put in place sustainability and low-carbon projects throughout Cyberjaya in the last several years including the establishment of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to encourge the usage of EV in the city and a centralised cooling facility using chilled water for more than 46 buildings which reduces 7,000 tonnes of emissions from the atmosphere annually.

He said Cyberview with its partners had also invested RM5 million to develop and install photovoltaic cells in parking areas and rooftops to harness solar energy.

“We are also exploring further opportunities with other potential partners on harnessing solar and renewable energy for Data Centres in Cyberjaya, including the feasibility of a floating solar power plant on the surface of bodies of water via the enhanced Corporate Green Power Programme and Third Party Access.

“These efforts are aligned with the National Energy Transition Roadmap, and we are looking to develop further and push innovation towards increasing the efficient use of energy and other resources to achieve Cyberjaya’s low-carbon city objective by 2030,” he said.

Source: Bernama

Sustainability concerns to be addressed as more data centres set up in Cyberjaya – Cyberview

Sabah aims to have 80 per cent of renewable energy (RE) capacity by 2050, said state Assistant Minister to Chief Minister Datuk Nizam Titingan.

He added the current RE capacity is at 9 per cent and hopes it will exceed 50 per cent by 2035.

The power generation development plan is in line with the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040 (SE-RAMP 2040), which was launched on Sept 19, 2023.

One of the 16 strategic plans identified in SE-RAMP 2040 is the addition of the composition of Renewable Energy in the electricity generation mix in Sabah.

“These plans will be refined and further monitored by the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS) after the takeover of electricity supply regulatory control is implemented early next year,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the state assembly sitting.

He was replying to Datuk Suhaimi Nasir (Umno-appointed assemblyman) on the latest status of the commission in formulating policy for electricity supply in Sabah.

Nizam added that ECoS is also conducting the Hydro Development Plan to increase the potential of hydroelectricity in Sabah, which is part of the long-term solution phase after 2030.

“Apart from that, exploration into new technologies and energy sources will also be implemented, such as geothermal, wind, and hydrogen.

“The planning for the interconnection of transmission lines between Sabah and North Kalimantan will also be explored based on a feasibility study to be conducted this year.”

Meanwhile, in answering additional questions from Datuk Annuar Ayub (Star-Liawan) on the status of leasing of the 224-megawatt Powership project as a fast-track initiative to address critical reserve margin issues, Nizam said the negotiation process between Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd and Karpowership Global failed to reach an agreement between both parties, thus it was terminated.

“The alternative plan to replace this project is to continue the interim plan, namely, leasing a 100-megawatt diesel genset, which will operate until 2025 and the installation of a 100-megawatt Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will commence its operation in 2024.”

Source: NST

Sabah targets 80pct renewable energy capacity by 2050

Sunway Group, in partnership with Equalbase, has marked a milestone with the groundbreaking ceremony of its RM8 billion logistics facility dubbed Equalbase Sunway 103° in a free commercial zone of Sunway City Iskandar Puteri.

The ceremony is witnessed by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi. 

The development will be built on 55 hectares in four phases, with the first phase scheduled for completion in 2025. 

103°, named after Johor’s geographic coordinates at a longitude of 103 east of the prime meridian, is strategically located in Sunway City Iskandar Puteri, just five kilometres from the Second Link to Singapore.

When completed, the Free Commercial Zone with a gross development value of RM8 billion will be a pivotal hub serving adiverse array of industries, including fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail, e-commerce, automotive, pharmaceutical and technology. 

Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri (Sir) Jeffrey Cheah said 103° signified a concerted effort towards sustainable development and innovation in the logistics industry, as well as commitment to establish Sunway City Iskandar Puteri as the centrepiece of Malaysia’s southern development corridor.

 This strategic partnership between Sunway Group, one of Asean’s leading conglomerates, and the Singapore-headquartered Equalbase will be the first fully carbon-neutral free commercial zone in Iskandar Puteri.

The integrated warehouses will also be equipped with rooftop solarpanels to generate sufficient electricity, fostering a greener future.  

Cheah said the venture will lead to the creation of over 13,000 local employment opportunities, with the potential of generating significant economic spillover impact for Johor, Malaysia and the wider Asean region.   

Also present at the ceremony were Johor state housing and local government committee Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, state investment, trade and consumer affairs committee chairman Lee Ting Han, Iskandar Puteri mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad, Iskandar Regional Development Authority chief executive Datuk Dr Badrul Hisham Kassim, Equalbase founder and executive chairman Christian Bischoff, among others. 

Meanwhile, Bischoff said the shared vision between Equalbase and Sunway Group to establish 103° is a testament to collaborative success and a deeper engagement with stakeholders.

“Its not a mere colossal facility…we are committed to sustainable building practices and environmental consciousness. 

“Our collaboration with the Sunway Group inbirthing 103°, is not just about erecting a structure; it symbolises a sharedcommitment to sustainable progress, economic prosperity, and fostering enduringpartnerships for a brighter, eco-conscious future,” he said. 

Source: NST

Sunway, Equalbase spearhead RM8bil carbon neutral logistics hub in Free Commercial Zone

Sarawak Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment is evaluating a proposal for a hyperscale green data centre worth RM17.6 billion.

Its minister Datuk Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, without elaborating on the proposal, said Sarawak is now becoming more prominent as a destination for digital investment.

He said Sarawak will continue to diversify its digital investment portfolio to build a robust ecosystem.

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“The state is now actively attracting high-value, high-growth investments that can catapult its economy to achieve high-income status by 2030,” Awang Tengah, who is also the deputy premier, said in his winding-up speech in the Sarawak State Assembly.

He said based on the preliminary figures for the first three quarters of this year, Sarawak recorded RM16.69 billion worth of investments despite the sluggish global economy.

“The manufacturing sector contributed 68 per cent of the total investment, followed by 19 per cent from the primary sector and 13 per cent from the services sector,” he said, adding that these investments are expected to create more than 4,500 employment opportunities.

He said the manufacturing sector was the largest contributor to investment, attracting RM11.37 billion worth of investment from 73 projects mainly in non-metallic mineral products, basic metal products and electrical and electronic products.

He said domestic and foreign investors continue to place confidence in Sarawak due to the favourable investment climate.

He said this is evident in the newly approved manufacturing-related investments, such as non-metallic mineral products (graphite) worth RM6.3 billion; chemical and chemical products (Epichlorohydrin or ECH and fertiliser) worth RM769 million; and basic metal products (steel pipe), RM62 million.

Awang Tengah said Sarawak has been receiving new investment proposals from both foreign and domestic investors, including components for batteries used in electric vehicles (RM5 billion); green metal (RM2.59 billion); and medical gloves (RM1.5 billion).

He said investment in mining was the main contributor of the primary sector with four main projects from oil and gas upstream activities worth RM2.7 billion.

He said the state is now focusing on promoting a digital and green economy, leveraging on its renewable energy and decarbonisation solutions such as carbon trading and innovative climate mitigation and adaptation technology.

“We aspire to be a regional leader in innovation and technology-based economy,” he added.

Source: Malay Mail

Sarawak deputy premier: State govt evaluating hyperscale green data centre proposal worth RM17.6b