Penang has a running data centre; Kulim’s planned one was cancelled. Open DC’s Bayan Lepas campus had about 15 MW energised in September 2026, with its target raised to 100 MW, and Open DC runs 2 MW at Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah, growing to 4 MW (TechWire Asia).
Maxland Data’s project at Kulim Hi-Tech Park was cancelled: in May 2026 both of its leases there were mutually rescinded (EdgeProp, 15 May 2026).
- About 15 MW
- Open DC Bayan Lepas, energised, Sep 2026 (TechWire Asia)
- 100 MW
- Open DC Penang target (TechWire Asia)
- May 2026
- Kulim Hi-Tech Park leases rescinded (EdgeProp)
Are there data centres in Kulim or Penang?
| Project | Location | Size | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open DC PE2 | Bayan Lepas, Penang | About 15 MW energised; target 100 MW on a 10-acre campus | Operating, expanding | (TechWire Asia, Sep 2026) |
| Open DC D8-1 | Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah | 2 MW, expanding to 4 MW | Operating | (TechWire Asia) |
| AREA Group campus | Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah | 156 acres; MW not confirmed | Status inconsistent | (Baxtel) |
| Maxland Data / GDC | Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah | No MW ever disclosed | Cancelled May 2026 | (EdgeProp) |
What happened to the Kulim Hi-Tech Park data-centre project?
It was cancelled. In December 2024 Maxland Data, a subsidiary of Maxland Bhd, leased 4.57 acres in Kulim Hi-Tech Park for 60 years for RM9.95m, with Global Data Centre as partner (The Star); a second unit leased 4.85 acres for RM10.57m for district cooling. In May 2026 both units signed deeds of revocation with the park corporation to rescind the leases by mutual agreement, after a strategic review found the land no longer fit the group’s plans. Partial refunds of about RM653,000 and RM744,000 are expected, and the group’s auditor has flagged a material uncertainty about going concern (EdgeProp, 15 May 2026). Baxtel lists the project as cancelled before construction (Baxtel).
Is northern Malaysia viable for data centres?
The public record cannot settle it: northern grid capacity and water allocations for data centres are not published. The climate data splits the region. Coastal Bayan Lepas is among the mildest districts we measured (18 hours a year above 32°C); inland Kulim is among the hottest (138) and had the second-lowest rain in its driest 60 days (70 mm).
| District | Hours/yr above 30°C | Above 32°C | Hottest hour | Rain, average | Driest 60 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kulim | 872 | 138 | 36.1°C | 3,822 mm | 70 mm |
| Bayan Lepas | 312 | 18 | 34.5°C | 3,533 mm | 115 mm |
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2016–2025; hour counts are lower bounds. All districts: cooling climate.
What is not public
We could not confirm these from a published source as of 10 November 2026. Do not assume them:
- Megawatts for the AREA Group campus
- Northern grid capacity for data centres
- Water allocations for data centres in Kedah and Penang
Croutons Research publishes open data and methods on AI data centres in Malaysia. See the open method for measuring AI work per megawatt.
Sources
- Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (ERA5 reanalysis, Copernicus)
- EdgeProp, Maxland scraps Kulim land deals (15 May 2026)
- The Star, Maxland 60-year Kulim lease (5 Dec 2024)
- Baxtel, GDC Kulim (status)
- TechWire Asia, Open DC Penang to 100 MW (Sep 2026)
- Baxtel, AREA Group Kedah
Last checked 10 November 2026