Malaysia is in talks with potential Chinese investors about building data centres as part of its strategy to attract high-quality investments, according to Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli. Rafizi stated in an interview that the government aims to enhance its infrastructure to leverage the AI boom.

In the past year, major US tech companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia have announced plans to establish data centres in Malaysia. Chinese firms are also interested in developing additional facilities to support local tech companies seeking to expand into the Southeast Asian market, Rafizi noted.

Rafizi emphasised Malaysia's goal to expedite its transition from the back end to the front end of the semiconductor industry, focusing on integrated circuit design and data centres. He clarified that discussions with Chinese companies have not included using their Malaysian operations to bypass US tariffs.