KUALA LUMPUR: New data centre applications must take into account electricity supply availability and the ability of states to meet water demand, says Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The investment, trade and industry minister said the growth of data centres must also be managed responsibly, with operators bearing the cost of electricity supply and necessary infrastructure.
“The cost of electricity supply and the necessary infrastructure must be borne by operators rather than passed on to the public or existing businesses.
“Our priority is to build a competitive digital economy while creating opportunities for local companies in power generation, energy storage and engineering.
“These investments must deliver tangible economic benefits through the efficient and sustainable use of national resources,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Johari said he had delivered the keynote address at the Bursa Malaysia Sectoral Series: Powering the AI Era today.
He said Malaysia needed to be selective in attracting data centre investments, prioritising quality investments that generated added value for the economy while supporting the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and local industries.