EDITOR ' S LETTER
Will Malaysia ’ s data centre industry die along with the cabotage exemption ? Welcome to the April edition of Data Centre Magazine . This month , we ’ ll be continuing to cover the biggest trends creating an era of unprecedented change in the data centre space , from edge computing to the shadow of data gravity and how to break free from its pull .
“ Thanks to Wee Ka Siong for his " brilliant " strategy of protecting one company at the expense of the nation ' s interest !”
DATACENTRE MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY
Malaysia ’ s MyDigital blueprint aims to make the country the best-connected market in Southeast Asia . To make that happen , Malaysia wants to have the most submarine cable landing stations in the region by 2025 . Now , that goal - as well as the career of Dr Wee Ka Siong , Malaysia ’ s transport minister - may be in jeopardy .
It ’ s all thanks to a decision Dr Wee made at the end of last year to revoke something called the cabotage exemption . In short , the exemption was a piece of legislation that allowed foreign-owned vessels to conduct maintenance on subsea cables in Malaysian waters . Now , only Malaysian companies can conduct these repairs , something which has sparked the ire the country ’ s previous transport minister , Anthony Loke Siew , who offered up a derisive “ Thanks to Wee Ka Siong for his " brilliant " strategy of protecting one company at the expense of the nation ' s interest !”
Dr Wee has since rebuffed claims that the cabotage issue was behind Facebook ’ s decision to land the pivotal Bifrost cable in SIngapore instead of Malaysia , but the mess has continued to unfold , with the minister claiming that Facebook ’ s decision was made " because Malaysia doesn ' t have the data centre infrastructure ,” which has sparked yet more outrage .
HARRY MENEAR harry . menear @ bizclikmedia . com © 2021 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED datacentremagazine . com 3