KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd
(TM) is collaborating with Meta, SoftBank Corp, IPS Inc, PT XLSmart Telecom Sejahtera Tbk, and NEC Corporation in developing the Candle submarine cable system which connects ASEAN countries to Japan.
Candle, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2028, is a 24-fibre pair, 8,000-kilometre (km) submarine cable system connecting Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
In a joint statement today, the partners said it would contribute to infrastructure expansion and secure redundant routes to meet the increasing demand for data communications driven by fifth generation (5G) and artificial intelligence (AI).
"This cable system will be one of the first in the Asia-Pacific region to use a 24-fibre pair cable, enabling superior traffic capacity to support the growing demand for communications in the region,” they said.
Candle Management Committee chairperson Don Pang said as the need for robust, high-speed connectivity grows, Candle would deliver greater network diversity and resilience along this essential corridor, leveraging state-of-the-art technology.
"This milestone reflects the deep collaboration among our partners and underscores our shared commitment to advancing digital inclusion and economic opportunity for over half a billion people in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Meanwhile, TM group chief executive officer Amar Huzaimi Md Deris said the company’s participation in the Candle submarine cable system project demonstrated its commitment to building resilient digital infrastructure that meets the growing demand for digital services and cloud-based, AI-driven innovation across Asia.
According to him, it strengthens TM's ability to support hyperscalers, enterprises and global service providers in expanding its footprint across ASEAN, while reinforcing Malaysia’s role as ASEAN’s digital hub.
"This initiative bodes well with our aspiration to become a digital powerhouse by 2030, connecting Malaysia to the world, and the world to Malaysia,” said Amar Huzaimi.- Bernama
