He said the investment also recognised the nation’s potential to lead the region’s digital economy.
“This is particularly pertinent as Malaysia intends to strongly promote the digital economy regionally when we take up the Asean chairmanship next year.
“Google’s presence will not only create thousands of high-skilled jobs but also accelerate the digital transformation of our businesses and public sector, strengthening our tech leadership and supporting Malaysia’s positioning as a tech hub in Southeast Asia,” he said at the Google Cloud Malaysia Day event here.
Tengku Zafrul said the investment also served as a strong foundation for Malaysia to embrace the cloud as a springboard for its operations and business innovation, unlocking opportunities and contributing to the growth and prosperity of the economy.
He added that digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), among others, were key to shaping a sustainable and inclusive socio-economic future.
He said the Madani government recognised the transformative power of digitalisation, cloud computing and AI, making them key drivers in Malaysia’s economic roadmaps such as the New Industrial Master Plan 2030.
“We understand that investing in cloud infrastructure and fostering a digital-first mindset are essential for creating a sustainable and prosperous future for our nation,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul also said the positive impact of cloud technologies on the Malaysian economy was clear, boosting productivity and creating high-skilled jobs.
He said Malaysia had seen a surge in efficiency and innovation as industries leveraged cloud-based solutions to streamline operations, automate tasks and gain valuable insights from data.
The manufacturing sector, in particular, had embraced cloud-enabled technologies to optimise supply chains, monitor equipment performance and improve production efficiency, he said.
“The healthcare industry has also seen significant benefits, with hospitals leveraging cloud technology to improve patient care, manage electronic medical records and facilitate telemedicine services.
“These advancements not only drive productivity by leveraging data-driven insights but also create demand for high-skilled professionals in areas like data analytics, software development and cloud architecture,” he said.