Kuala Lumpur: Microsoft has announced the general availability of its Malaysia West Cloud Region, marking its first-ever cloud region in the country as part of a significant US$2.2 billion investment.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Microsoft Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) executive vice president Scott Guthrie emphasized that the new cloud region, situated in Greater Kuala Lumpur, will offer top-tier AI datacentre infrastructure. This development aims to enhance secure innovation and support Malaysia’s journey towards becoming an inclusive, sustainable, and AI-ready regional hub. Guthrie highlighted that the cloud region will include three availability zones to ensure high availability and geo-redundancy, while adhering to local and international regulatory frameworks.

In a statement, Microsoft revealed that the new cloud region will also provide customers with access to advanced services in areas such as productivity, data analytics, cybersecurity, computing, and storage. This will include Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and a range of Microsoft’s business applications, which are set to be available in the near future.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, through a recorded message, underscored the potential of the Malaysia West Cloud Region to elevate the country up the digital value chain. He urged the nation to adopt a comprehensive approach to capitalize on digital and AI technologies, aiming to establish Malaysia as a leading force in the digital and AI economy.