Singtel's Nxera and Telekom Malaysia top out Johor data center, first 64MW phase due live this year

TM Nxera, a joint venture between Singapore's Singtel and Malaysia's Telekom Malaysia, has topped out a new data center in Johor, Malaysia, marking a key milestone in the project. The facility, located in the southern Malaysian state bordering Singapore, is designed specifically to host AI workloads. The first 64-megawatt phase is expected to come online later this year. "Really happy to see the rapid, smooth, and safe progress of the buildout of this large-scale AI DC specially designed to host some of the most demanding AI workloads in the industry," said Bill Chang, CEO of Nxera, in a LinkedIn post announcing the topping out ceremony. The TM Nxera joint venture was formed to capitalize on growing demand for data center capacity in Southeast Asia. The region has become an attractive destination for data center investment due to available land, lower energy costs compared to Singapore, and proximity to major Asian markets. Johor in particular has seen a surge in data center development as Singapore lifted a moratorium on new data center projects that had pushed demand across the border. The Malaysian state now hosts multiple hyperscale facilities under construction. The topping out ceremony marks the completion of the building's structural phase. Interior fit-out, power and cooling system installation, and network connectivity work will continue before the facility becomes operational. Nxera aims to develop more than 200MW of data center capacity across the region over the next several years.