Talks on setting up Microsoft data centre ongoing

JOHOR BARU: Discussions with US-based Microsoft Corp for it to set up a data centre in Sedenak, Kulaijaya, are ongoing.

Mentri Besar Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who disclosed this yesterday, said the state government remained hopeful of a positive outcome.

“We are looking forward to getting a positive reply from the company soon,” he said after attending a charity golf tournament here.

Khaled said he would leave it to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to announce the details.

StarBizWeek reported yesterday that Microsoft would invest between RM5bil and RM6bil to set up its data centre in Sedenak.

The Multimedia Development Corp had aggressively courted the company to set up its operations in Cyberjaya but Microsoft is said to be keen to invest in Iskandar Malaysia, citing its close proximity to Singapore.

Iskandar Malaysia has been earmarked for the establishment of a second hub for data centre parks in Malaysia under the Entry Point Project 3 of the Economic Trans­formation Programme.

Khaled said Iskandar Malaysia was set to move into a comprehensive development plan over the next 11 years.

“We want to change into a knowledge-based economy in which our workforce will have the skills and knowledge to be employed by companies that have invested in Johor,” he said.