KUALA LUMPUR, 10 October 2025 – “TM, welcomes Budget 2026 announcement and lauds the Government’s continued focus on economic reform and uplifting the well-being of the rakyat. The strong emphasis on digital infrastructure and inclusivity from the expansion of JENDELA 2, Points of Presence (PoP), NADI Centres, and the new Sambungan Kabel Dasar Laut MADANI (SALAM) will further strengthen our national digital resilience.

We are encouraged by the Government’s strategic intent to advance the Sovereign AI Cloud and establish an AI Transformation Centre, which embodies Malaysia’s determination to lead in a digital-first world. We align closely with this direction through TM Cloud Alpha Edge, our platform built to safeguard national data sovereignty while enabling innovation across industries. We are also proud that Multimedia University (MMU), our education arm, has been recognised as part of this journey to develop future AI talent and research excellence.

Recognising the Budget’s focus on people, TM is heartened to see continued support for MSMEs, TVET and capability building, alongside the expansion of Kampung Angkat MADANI and Sekolah Angkat MADANI. These initiatives remind us that true progress happens when communities are empowered, opportunities are created, and every Malaysian is able to participate meaningfully in the nation’s progress and digital journey.

As TM continues our path towards becoming a Digital Powerhouse by 2030, we remain steadfast in enabling the digital economy and partnering with the Government to realise a sustainable, inclusive and digitally powered Malaysia by expanding national connectivity, strengthening sovereign digital capabilities, nurturing talents as well as driving greater purpose together.”

– Amar Huzaimi Md Deris

Managing Director / Group Chief Executive Officer, Telekom Malaysia Berhad

MORIB, 25 September 2025 – TM Global, the wholesale business arm of TM, today announced the completion of its fifth cable landing station in Morib, Selangor (Morib CLS). This marks a significant milestone in Malaysia’s digital infrastructure development, reinforcing the country’s position as a strategic digital hub in the region.  

Spanning 7,000 square feet, the Morib CLS is an open CLS that allows multiple service providers to interconnect and exchange connectivity and data traffic seamlessly. This facility is supported by a dedicated Network Operations Centre (NOC), offering 24/7 real-time monitoring for enhanced operational reliability and service assurance. 

Khairul Liza Ibrahim, Executive Vice President of TM Global, said, “The completion of the Morib CLS represents a pivotal step in enhancing Malaysia’s global connectivity. Strategically located along the Straits of Malacca, one of the world’s most important subsea cable routes, the open CLS serves as an ideal landing point—offering direct international access, improved route diversity, and reduced latency. Its proximity to Klang Valley’s data centre clusters further supports seamless network integration, optimising end-to-end data transmission efficiency.”  

As part of TM’s ambition to become a Digital Powerhouse by 2030, the Morib CLS is purpose-built for energy efficiency and future scalability, now capable of supporting up to three submarine cable systems—including the Sea-Me-We 6. Aligned with TM Group’s commitment to responsible and sustainable growth, the facility incorporates practical features such as low-power cooling systems and solar-powered streetlights. The Morib CLS reinforces TM’s long-term strategy to position Malaysia as a leading regional digital hub, reflecting its ongoing efforts to integrate sustainability elements into its infrastructure development. 

Liza explained, “Beyond this milestone, TM Global is enhancing its digital transformation footprint, with data centres and Edge Facilities scaled up to 40MW. Construction is also underway for a new AI-ready data centre in collaboration with Singtel’s Nxera, with a planned capacity of up to 200 MW.” 

TM brings decades of experience in developing and investing in domestic and international submarine cable systems. With 33 owned and leased submarine cable systems spanning more than 275,000 kilometres around the globe, TM is committed to providing the highest service performance and best quality experience to all its customers  

Recently, TM Global was also named Telecom Company of the Year – Malaysia for the third consecutive year during the 2025 Asian Telecom Awards, a testament to its strong financial growth and leadership in AI-driven digital infrastructure. Securing its first-ever Infrastructure Initiative of the Year – Malaysia award further cements its role as a key enabler of the nation’s digital transformation, driving innovation and economic progress.

KUALA LUMPUR, September 22, 2025 – TM, Meta, SoftBank Corp., IPS Inc., PT XLSmart Telecom Sejahtera Tbk, and NEC Corporation are collaborating to develop the Candle submarine cable system. 

Candle is a 24-fiber pair, 8,000 km submarine cable system connecting Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, that is scheduled to begin operations in 2028. It will contribute to infrastructure expansion and secure redundant routes to meet the increasing demand for data communications driven by 5G and AI. 

This cable system will be one of the first in the Asia-Pacific region to use a 24-fiber pair cable, enabling superior traffic capacity to support the growing demand for communications in the region. 

Chairperson of the Candle Management Committee, Don Pang, said: “Candle represents a pivotal advancement in fortifying the region’s digital infrastructure. As the need for robust, high-speed connectivity grows, Candle will deliver greater network diversity and resilience along this essential corridor, leveraging state-of-the-art technology. This milestone reflects the deep collaboration among our partners and underscores our shared commitment to advancing digital inclusion and economic opportunity for over half a billion people in the Asia-Pacific region.” 

The partners from participating countries also provided their comments on the importance of this new system. 

Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM’s Group Chief Executive Officer said, “TM’s participation in the Candle submarine cable system project demonstrates our commitment to building resilient digital infrastructure that meets the growing demand for digital services and cloud-based, AI-driven innovation across Asia. It strengthens our ability to support hyperscalers, enterprises and global service providers in expanding their footprint across ASEAN, while reinforcing Malaysia’s role as ASEAN’s digital hub. This initiative bodes well with our aspiration to become a Digital Powerhouse by 2030—connecting Malaysia to the world, and the world to Malaysia.” 

“At Meta, we imagine a future where everyone has access to AI, personal superintelligence, and other emerging technologies to improve their lives and connect with each other.  This is part of our commitment to seamlessly bring people together no matter where they are in the world.,” said Nico Roerich, Director, APAC Network Investments, Meta.  

“With the rapid advancement of generative AI and the Internet of Things (IoT), the demand for international telecommunications is expected to continue accelerating. CANDLE adopts a 24-fiber-pair architecture, making it one of the core foundations of next-generation social infrastructure that SoftBank is promoting. By integrating with other submarine cables such as JUPITER, ADC, and E2A, we will further enhance the diversity and redundancy of global communications networks originating from Japan, and strengthen Japan’s role as a digital gateway for Asia,” said Kimimasa Kudo, Vice President and Head of Global Business Division, Enterprise Unit, SoftBank Corp. 

"Our participation in this project reaffirms our commitment to play a significant role in the further development of digital infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region, which is vital to our operations in Japan, the Philippines, and Singapore. With our subsidiary, InfiniVAN, as the landing party in the Baler, Aurora Province on the eastern seaboard of the Philippines, this is one of many projects we have planned in support of developing the Philippines as a connectivity hub in Southeast Asia." said Koji Miyashita, CEO of IPS, Inc. 

“XLSMART will fully support the project and we believe the Candle cable will bring benefits for all consortium parties and Indonesia”, said Feby Sallyanto, Chief of Enterprise, PT XLSmart Telecom Sejahtera Tbk.      

Tomonori Uematsu, General Manager, Submarine Network Division, NEC Corporation, added, “NEC is a leading vendor in the submarine cable system business with over 60 years of experience. NEC is particularly strong in leading subsea projects in the Asia-Pacific region, having been responsible for eight optical submarine cable systems connecting Japan and Singapore, including ‘Candle.’ In this project, NEC will participate as a system integrator, providing everything from the manufacture of submarine cables and repeaters to route design, installation, and testing. Through the establishment of a highly reliable communication environment in the Asia region, NEC will contribute to the development of the digital economy.”  

This initiative is a milestone in collective partnerships and commitment to strengthening regional connectivity, ensuring secure and reliable international data transmission, and advancing the digital growth of communities and businesses across ASEAN.