JLand Group inks MOU with telco infra provider to directly link Sedenak Tech Park to digital superhighway network

• "The fibre connectivity which is projected to be ready by the fourth quarter of 2023 will extend from Johor to the northern and southern borders of Peninsular Malaysia." 

JOHOR BAHRU (June 13): Johor Corp's property and infrastructure arm JLand Group (JLG) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with telecommunications infastructure provider MSA Resources Sdn Bhd (MSAR) to deploy Sedenak Tech Park's (STeP) direct connection to the Digital Superhighway Network.

The partnership aims to enhance STeP's position as a regional data centre hub in Southeast Asia, with MSAR aiming to enable the park's connectivity with neighbouring countries and beyond through upcoming subsea cable systems, which will reach terrestrial networks in Johor, according to a statement by JLG and MSAR on Tuesday (June 13).

"Leveraging its geographical position, Johor holds strategic advantage in linking east- and west-bound traffic across both coasts," they said.

The collaboration entails providing Data Centre Interconnect connectivity within and beyond STeP.

The network, which is currently available for connection with Singapore data centres, uses dual access through the Causeway and the Tuas Second Link.

"The fibre connectivity which is projected to be ready by the fourth quarter of 2023 will extend from Johor to the northern and southern borders of Peninsular Malaysia. 

"This installation of the local line is set to provide value-added, carrier-neutral routes as well as enhanced data transmission nationwide, covering major hyperscale data centres," they said.

“We are fully optimising and integrating JLG’s real estate offerings across the data centre value chain by harnessing the opportunities found in dark fibre. Our partnership with MSAR broadens STeP’s current capabilities by complementing border-to-border linkages, resulting in increased speed and network optionality for operators. This reinforces STeP’s service delivery vision to be a thriving, vibrant data centre hub of the Southern Gateway of Malaysia by enabling low latency connections between major data centre hubs in the region,” said JCorp director of real estate and infrastructure division Datuk Akmal Ahmad at a signing ceremony.

“The deployment of this local line is set to benefit areas surrounding STeP, within the larger area of Ibrahim Technopolis (IBTEC), which spans across 7,290 acres. Connectivity frameworks laid in STeP today will ensure availability of high-capacity fibre cables for future residential, commercial and industrial developments of IBTEC, and is in line with our progress towards Malaysia Digital Cybercentre status,” added Akmal, who is also JLG's deputy chairman.

Meanwhile, MSAR managing director Saiful Husni said the boom in new hyperscale data centres in Johor is a timely opportunity for the company.

"STeP is fast becoming a world-class development, which is transforming Johor into the new regional hub for data centres. We are excited for the prospects of STeP, and will be investing RM66 million to cater for its connectivity requirements.

“In addition, all major data centre hubs in Peninsular Malaysia will be fully connected to our network by the end of 2023. Our Digital Superhighway Network marks a major milestone in wholesale-level dark fibre connectivity for the industry, and we have positioned this neutral backbone network as a complementary asset to be utilised by all players via an open-access concept,” he said.

The Digital Superhighway Network, which is aligned with the National Digital Network (Jendela) plan, is able to achieve data transmission speeds exceeding 800Gbps, as well as a total network capacity of 33.6Tbs per fibre pair.

Cities and rural areas throughout the peninsula will have access to 4,400 points of interconnect that enable high broadband coverage.

The first phase of the network involves installation of fibres from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Johor Bahru.