What was announced
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he held a videoconference with Masayoshi Son on Tuesday, and that Son told him he had picked locations in Malaysia for technology projects worth $50 billion. Speaking in Malacca on Saturday, Anwar said, "He said he had chosen Sarawak - Kuching - and Peninsular Malaysia to expand investment in what would be among the largest investments in the region, worth $50 billion." He added, "In what areas? Artificial intelligence, new technology and data centers."
SoftBank representatives did not provide a comment right away when contacted outside normal business hours.
How it fits into SoftBank's buildout
An expansion into Malaysia would widen Son's footprint in Southeast Asia, which is fast becoming a hub for AI infrastructure like data centers. Elsewhere, SoftBank is working on a $500 billion data center project in Ohio, described as among the largest globally, and another initiative in France that may total up to €75 billion ($84 billion). In Japan, the company's telecom unit is building facilities in Hokkaido and in Sakai, Osaka.
Earlier this month, SoftBank said it had signed framework agreements with partners to examine establishing AI facilities and cultivating the broader ecosystem in Sarawak.
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Malaysia's pitch and the policy backdrop
Anwar said the prospective investment would generate improved job opportunities, particularly for younger workers. He contended that Malaysia's success in drawing investment depends on trust in the government and on political stability, contrasting it with some neighbors in the region.
Malaysia has emerged as a key destination for data centers, with Amazon, Microsoft and Google investing. According to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, the country tallied data-center-related investments of 385.7 billion ringgit ($94 billion) from 2021 up to the first half of 2026. The government now wants more spillovers, pressing operators to buy from local suppliers and to use these sites to drive AI adoption, foster home-grown innovation and raise skill levels. The national target is to become an "AI nation" by 2030.
The investor angle
If executed, a $50 billion program focused on Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia would reinforce Southeast Asia's role in AI infrastructure while SoftBank pursues very large builds in the US, Europe and Japan. The bottom line: continued demand for power, networking and chips tied to data centers, alongside a policy push in Malaysia to climb the tech value chain.
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