SoftBank, Grab, PETROS sign Sarawak AI infrastructure deal

MW Contributor · 2026-10-08T18:56:43+08:00

SoftBank Group, Grab and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad have signed an agreement to explore building artificial intelligence infrastructure in Sarawak, in what would be one of the largest foreign technology ventures in the state. The framework agreement was signed in Kuching on 8 October 2026 by SoftBank chairman and chief executive officer Masayoshi Son, Grab group CEO and co-founder Anthony Tan, and PETROS group CEO Dato Janin Girie. Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg witnessed the ceremony alongside state officials and PETROS board members. The three parties said they will jointly develop a roadmap for a phased AI and digital infrastructure platform in Sarawak. The collaboration covers AI compute and services, advanced technologies, robotics, and local workforce and community development. Under the partnership, SoftBank will contribute its global technology and AI ecosystem, which spans AI infrastructure, advanced computing, semiconductors and physical AI. Grab will bring its Southeast Asian digital ecosystem and applied AI capabilities, while PETROS will provide energy supply solutions and enabling infrastructure through its role under the Sarawak Gas Roadmap and as master developer of the Kuching Low-Carbon Hub. The deal places Sarawak at the centre of Malaysia's fast-growing AI data centre market. The Malaysian Investment Development Authority reported RM385.7 billion in data-centre-related investments from 2021 to the first half of 2026. Approved investments in the first six months of 2026 reached RM218.5 billion, with data centres and cloud projects accounting for nearly half of that total. Sarawak attracted RM10.8 billion in approved investments in the same period, behind Selangor, Johor and Kuala Lumpur. The state is moving quickly to close the gap. Sarawak launched its own AI Grid concept this month to link computing resources across the state with its renewable energy capacity. The plan includes a Kuching AI Data Campus at Tanjung Embang to provide physical infrastructure for AI workloads. In September, developer FutureData announced its first tenant for a 500MW data centre park in Kuching. Global Telecommunications Group will occupy the first facility, valued at US$130 million with 17MW of IT capacity. Separately, Sarawak launched a Sovereign AI Infrastructure Platform in August, operated by Sarawak Information Systems and hosted entirely in local data centres. The agreement also arrives amid tighter national scrutiny of data centre growth. Malaysia restricted approvals for new non-AI data centres in early 2026 due to electricity and water demands, giving preference to high-value AI facilities. Sarawak's access to hydropower and natural gas has positioned it as an attractive location for energy-intensive AI compute projects. For SoftBank, the Sarawak project extends an aggressive global AI infrastructure push. The Japanese group spent about ¥969 billion on power generation and data centre assets in the United States in the first quarter of its 2026 financial year. It is also completing a US$4 billion acquisition of digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge, announced in December 2025. Masayoshi Son is a lead backer of the Stargate AI data centre programme in the United States. Grab, which operates across eight Southeast Asian countries in more than 900 cities, has deepened its AI work this year. The company released 13 AI-powered features at its GrabX showcase in April and launched a training programme with OpenAI in September targeting 30,000 driver, delivery and merchant partners across the region. The parties said the collaboration supports Sarawak's target of reaching high-income status by 2030 under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy, and contributes to national initiatives including Jalinan Digital Negara and the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan. No investment value or timeline was disclosed. The companies said the framework agreement does not oblige them to proceed, and that any definitive project depends on due diligence, regulatory approvals, land, power supply, connectivity and contracted customer demand.

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October 8, 2026 at 6:56 pm
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SoftBank Group, Grab and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad have signed an agreement to explore building artificial intelligence infrastructure in Sarawak, in what would be one of the largest foreign technology ventures in the state.
The framework agreement was signed in Kuching on 8 October 2026 by SoftBank chairman and chief executive officer Masayoshi Son, Grab group CEO and co-founder Anthony Tan, and PETROS group CEO Dato Janin Girie. Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg witnessed the ceremony alongside state officials and PETROS board members.
The three parties said they will jointly develop a roadmap for a phased AI and digital infrastructure platform in Sarawak. The collaboration covers AI compute and services, advanced technologies, robotics, and local workforce and community development.
Under the partnership, SoftBank will contribute its global technology and AI ecosystem, which spans AI infrastructure, advanced computing, semiconductors and physical AI. Grab will bring its Southeast Asian digital ecosystem and applied AI capabilities, while PETROS will provide energy supply solutions and enabling infrastructure through its role under the Sarawak Gas Roadmap and as master developer of the Kuching Low-Carbon Hub.
The deal places Sarawak at the centre of Malaysia’s fast-growing AI data centre market. The Malaysian Investment Development Authority reported RM385.7 billion in data-centre-related investments from 2021 to the first half of 2026. Approved investments in the first six months of 2026 reached RM218.5 billion, with data centres and cloud projects accounting for nearly half of that total.
Sarawak attracted RM10.8 billion in approved investments in the same period, behind Selangor, Johor and Kuala Lumpur. The state is moving quickly to close the gap. Sarawak launched its own AI Grid concept this month to link computing resources across the state with its renewable energy capacity. The plan includes a Kuching AI Data Campus at Tanjung Embang to provide physical infrastructure for AI workloads.
In September, developer FutureData announced its first tenant for a 500MW data centre park in Kuching. Global Telecommunications Group will occupy the first facility, valued at US$130 million with 17MW of IT capacity. Separately, Sarawak launched a Sovereign AI Infrastructure Platform in August, operated by Sarawak Information Systems and hosted entirely in local data centres.
The agreement also arrives amid tighter national scrutiny of data centre growth. Malaysia restricted approvals for new non-AI data centres in early 2026 due to electricity and water demands, giving preference to high-value AI facilities. Sarawak’s access to hydropower and natural gas has positioned it as an attractive location for energy-intensive AI compute projects.
For SoftBank, the Sarawak project extends an aggressive global AI infrastructure push. The Japanese group spent about ¥969 billion on power generation and data centre assets in the United States in the first quarter of its 2026 financial year. It is also completing a US$4 billion acquisition of digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge, announced in December 2025. Masayoshi Son is a lead backer of the Stargate AI data centre programme in the United States.
Grab, which operates across eight Southeast Asian countries in more than 900 cities, has deepened its AI work this year. The company released 13 AI-powered features at its GrabX showcase in April and launched a training programme with OpenAI in September targeting 30,000 driver, delivery and merchant partners across the region.
The parties said the collaboration supports Sarawak’s target of reaching high-income status by 2030 under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy, and contributes to national initiatives including Jalinan Digital Negara and the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan.
No investment value or timeline was disclosed. The companies said the framework agreement does not oblige them to proceed, and that any definitive project depends on due diligence, regulatory approvals, land, power supply, connectivity and contracted customer demand.
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