Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ) hyperscale data centre specialist, AirTrunk, has officially commenced operations in Malaysia with the opening of its flagship 150 megawatt (MW) hyperscale data centre in Johor Bahru, named AirTrunk JHB1 (JHB1).
The inauguration event saw attendance from Malaysian and Australian government officials and key AirTrunk partners. Notable attendees included Malaysia’s Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, YB Tuan Liew Chin Tong; Chairman of Johor State Investment, Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee, YB Tuan Lee Ting Han; and Australia’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Her Excellency Ms Danielle Heinecke. Representatives from the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Invest Johor, Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Iskandar Puteri City Council, the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad also graced the event.
JHB1’s initial phases will offer over 50MW of capacity, primarily serving large technology customers. The development, completed in over 4 million work hours without major safety incidents, underscores AirTrunk’s commitment to high safety standards at its construction sites.
Covering more than 10.3 hectares, JHB1 is strategically located at the southern tip of the Malaysia Peninsula in Johor Bahru. It services a major cloud availability zone and offers strong domestic and international connectivity to regional technology hubs, including neighboring Singapore, with a comprehensive cross-border connection strategy.
The data centre boasts a design Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.15, positioning it among the most efficient in the country. It features an AI-ready design, incorporating AirTrunk’s first deployment of direct-to-chip liquid cooling technology alongside traditional indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) and high-density racks, reducing energy consumption by up to 23 percent. This innovative liquid cooling approach, launched in July 2024 after five years of research and development, marks a significant advancement in data centre technology.
In collaboration with Malaysian utility company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), AirTrunk has connected JHB1 to the grid, following an MOU signed in 2023 aimed at advancing the energy transition in the region. Earlier this year, AirTrunk also secured a renewable energy Virtual Power Purchase Agreement for 30MW of renewable energy with developer ib vogt under Malaysia’s Corporate Green Power Programme, the maximum allocation available for an individual developer. JHB1 is equipped with a solar-ready roof capable of providing over 1MW of power, making it one of the largest onsite solar deployments for a data centre in Southeast Asia.
AirTrunk Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Robin Khuda, emphasized the significance of JHB1’s rapid and safe delivery, highlighting its role in advancing AI adoption in Malaysia and supporting AirTrunk’s growth as a trusted partner in the APJ region. He noted Malaysia’s commitment to innovation and sustainable growth, positioning it as a key tech hub in the region.
AirTrunk’s Head of Malaysia, Pei Jet Lim, emphasized the company’s positive contribution to the local economy through the development of local talent and digital infrastructure. The new data centre supports the rapid growth of cloud and AI in Malaysia and aligns with the MADANI Government’s initiative to establish AI hubs in the country. Lim reiterated AirTrunk’s long-term commitment to engaging with the local community and building a full AI ecosystem in Malaysia, while also supporting energy grid stability and green energy developments.
JHB1 is part of AirTrunk’s extensive APJ data centre platform, which includes 11 centres offering more than 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of total capacity, catering to the increasing demand from global tier one technology companies in the region.
