Sabah, a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of Borneo, in the East Malaysia region, is to play host to a Tier IV data centre worth RM119 million (about US$25.2 million).
The Straits Times news service says that the project will be undertaken by Sabah-based Poseidon Technologies, in partnership with Permodalan Risda (PRB), the investment arm of the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda). Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Dr Jeffrey G Kitingan said, after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony, that the new data centre is expected to be completed by July next year.
There are few details available about Poseidon, though its website describes the company as an end-to-end IT and solutions firm. The Data Centre Dynamics website says that details around the specifications of the planned data centre are also scarce.
However, it is known that it will be located at the Aeropod mixed development project, which comprises a hotel, a retail mall, retail offices, residential suites, corporate offices and green parks in Tanjung Aru, located about 5 kilometres from the state capital Kota Kinabalu.
In a speech, Dr Kitingan said he hoped the new centre would become “a catalyst for us to set up other data centres in other areas where it is needed”, adding: “This will help us to transform from a conventional to a digital economy."
He also noted that the data centre will have its power generation subject to approval by relevant authorities. PRB's director-general Datuk Abdullah Zainal said the facility will incorporate green energy elements, utilising solar energy and fossil electricity power in line with the Sabah government's commitment to preserving the environment.
If it goes ahead this will apparently be Malaysia’s first Tier IV data centre, though many other data centres are planned or in place. Indeed, Princeton Digital Group (PDG ) last week announced the launch of its 22MW hyperscale data centre facility (JC2) in Citibung, Greater Jakarta – the company’s sixth facility in the country.