KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Global tech firm Google will be investing RM9.4 billion in Malaysia to house its first data centre and Google Cloud region, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said today.

He said the investment will create 26,500 jobs across Malaysia, including in healthcare, education, and finance; which is expected to generate a total economic impact valued at RM15.04 billion.

"Google's latest announcement on its RM9.4-billion investment in Malaysia will significantly advance the digital ambitions outlined in our New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030).

"The Google data centre and Google Cloud region in Greater Kuala Lumpur will empower our manufacturing and service-based industries to leverage AI and other advanced technologies to move up the global value chain, with an estimated economic impact valued at RM15.04 billion.

"We also welcome Google’s plan to help us develop a robust talent ecosystem by facilitating the growth of our people’s digital skills, businesses, and careers. As this attracts further investments, it will spur innovation and drive growth for organisations of all sizes.

"We are confident that Google's partnership and continued investment will accelerate our nation’s digital transformation, contributing to the Madani vision towards a more prosperous, technologically advanced Malaysia,” he said in a statement.

Google president and chief investment officer Ruth Porat said the investment builds on its partnership with the Malaysian government to advance its "Cloud First Policy”, including best-in-class cybersecurity standards.

"With today’s announcement, Malaysia and Google are partnering to advance our shared work to create a supportive ecosystem for innovation and unlock the potential of digital transformation,” she said in a statement.

Sime Darby Property's Elmina Business Park in Greater Kuala Lumpur has been chosen as the site to set up the data centre and cloud region.

The data centre will power Google's popular digital services, such as Search, Maps, and Workspace, while also playing an essential role in enabling Google to deliver the benefits of Al to users across Malaysia.

When operational, Malaysia will join the 11 countries where Google has built and currently operates data centres to serve users around the world.

The Google Cloud region, on the other hand, will deliver high-performance and low-latency cloud infrastructure, analytics, and AI services to large enterprises, startups, and public sector organisations, while maintaining the highest security and regulatory compliance standards.