ICT hub set to draw RM1bil investments in next 12 months

KUALA LUMPUR: Cyberjaya, the national ICT hub, will receive RM1bil in investments over the next 12 months as local and foreign companies relocate their operations there.

Setia Harum Sdn Bhd chief operating officer C.K. Lao said the company, together with a few sub-developers, were negotiating with several parties on the possibility of setting up their operations in Cyberjaya.

From left: Setia Haruman director Peter Teh, chief operating officer C.K. Lao and general manager Balasundram R. at the briefing

“We are in advanced discussions with a few companies that have shown interest to relocate,'' he said after a media briefing yesterday.

Setia Haruman, the master developer of Cyberjaya, is responsible for the planning, design and development of the township and also the sale of land parcels to investors and sub-developers.

While those keen to relocate were mainly American and European companies, Cyberjaya is also finalising some local deals.

Lao said the two US-based companies were a department store and a company involved in data centre services.

“There is also a bank from Europe and a South Korean company,” he said, adding that Cyberjaya was now moving in “high gear” and had more than 10 ongoing projects.

“Major ongoing projects include the MKN Embassy Techzone, Satyam Global Delivery Centre, Bank Negara Data Centre, CSF 11 Data Centre, IMPACT Building, Prime 8, JPJ Data Centre, TM R&D Centre and the Showroom@Cyberjaya.”

These projects alone would increase the population from the present 35,000 to 60,000 by 2010.

Launched in 1997, the 7,000-acre Cyberjaya is home to multinational companies like Ericcson, Dell and IBM.

Lao expects an influx of data centres to Cyberjaya as there was high demand from the government and private sectors.

He said the company was also mulling on the idea of expanding and opening new areas in Cyberjaya to cater to high-end data centres.

By The Star (by Eileen Hee)