PETALING JAYA: Mah Sing Group Bhd
remains committed to supporting Malaysia’s position as a regional digital infrastructure hub.
As such, the group said last week that it is open to collaborating with data centre (DC) operators, joint-venture partners, or parties interested in outright land acquisition at its Mah Sing DC Hub@Southville City in Bangi, Selangor.
This comes after it announced that its first proposed collaboration agreement with Bridge Data Centres Malaysia V Sdn Bhd (BDC), for the development of DC facilities and infrastructure on approximately 17.55 acres of freehold land in Southville City, had lapsed.
Mah Sing, which is principally involved in property development, the manufacture of high-tech plastic and trading of gloves and related healthcare products, said the lapse was due to the expiry of the stipulated exclusivity period.
“For clarity, the first collaboration agreement relates specifically to a 17.55-acre site designated for the development of an up to 100MW power capacity DC.
“This is distinct from a second collaboration agreement with BDC concerning a separate 35.68-acre site intended for a 200MW power capacity DC, which remains valid and is set to expire on Oct 28, 2025.”
Mah Sing said the expiry of the collaboration agreement will pave the way for new investor engagement, as the site remains strategically located and supported by ready infrastructure for DC development.
“Mah Sing is now at liberty and is open to exploring various options such as joint ventures, build-and-lease (BLT) arrangements or outright land sales for the site.”
Mah Sing clarified that the first collaboration agreement was originally structured as a joint venture and later progressed into a BLT agreement for the completed DC to be leased to BDC upon completion.
The group said the definitive agreement had not been signed within the exclusivity period envisaged under the collaboration agreement, which lapsed on May 30, 2025.
“Whilst BDC had requested an extension, Mah Sing has responded that it is unable to agree at this stage, given the absence of clear commitment from BDC to proceed with the definitive agreement.
“With infrastructure readiness already in place, Mah Sing is now actively seeking new partnerships for the development of the 17.55-acre parcel in Southville City.”
Meanwhile, Knight Frank in its Data Centres Global Report for 2025 identified Johor as a prime location for DC investments within Asean.
“With Singapore’s DC facing land scarcity, strict regulations, and rising costs, Johor has become the natural spillover destination for hyperscalers looking to expand in South-East Asia.
“The region offers significantly lower land and electricity costs, making it a far more affordable option for large-scale deployments.”
Beyond cost benefits, Knight Frank said Johor’s faster approval processes and business-friendly policies enable rapid development, making it one of the fastest-growing DC hubs in the region.
“A new market has emerged in Johor, not only attracting traditional Western hyperscalers but also seeing significant deployments from ByteDance, Alibaba, and Sea Group.
“These companies, which had not previously expanded at such scale in Asia Pacific, are now making major investments, mainly for high density artificial intelligence deployments.”
Knight Frank highlighted that ByteDance, for example, has rapidly expanded its footprint, partnering with multiple operators that can deliver large capacities on accelerated timelines.
“This speed to market has been a key factor driving Johor’s appeal. With streamlined processes and projects being completed in record time (circa12 months), DC providers can meet hyperscalers’ urgent demand for capacity far faster than in other regional locations.
“As a result, Johor is no longer just an alternative market – it has become a primary hub for hyperscaler expansion in South-East Asia, fuelled by cost advantages, scalability and unmatched deployment speed.”
