Johor looks to lock in ByteDance’s long-term commitment after China talks, says Onn Hafiz

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 5 — Johor continues to focus on strengthening ByteDance’s long-term commitment to the state, in line with the global artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology company’s large-scale data centre investment in Malaysia, which exceeds RM29.5 billion. 

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said that among the efforts undertaken was a meeting with the company known for its TikTok, Douyin and CapCut platforms in China on December 23, 2025.

“Through this discussion, I reaffirmed our stance that Johor is not just an infrastructure destination, but rather a digital strategic partner capable of supporting large-scale operations safely, sustainably and resiliently for the long term,” he said in a post on Facebook.

Previously, TikTok, via ByteDance System, had established a data centre at Sedenak Tech Park, Kulai here.

Onn Hafiz said that, with its strategic location in Asean, competitive operating costs, and direct access to regional markets, Johor has the potential to support ByteDance’s continued growth in Southeast Asia, including the need for high-performance data centres, platform support operations, and digital talent development.

He said the meeting also discussed exploring the potential for the next phase of collaboration beyond infrastructure to regional operations, AI and the development of a digital content ecosystem.

“Hence, this opened a new path for strategic cooperation that will position Johor as a regional digital hub that is safe, sustainable and competitive for the long term,” he said. — Bernama