Anwar disclosed the proposed investment on Saturday, revealing that SoftBank Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son had identified potential locations in Kuching, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia for the planned projects.

The announcement followed a video conference between the Malaysian prime minister and Son earlier in the week.

According to Anwar, the proposed investment will focus on artificial intelligence (AI), emerging technologies and data centres as Malaysia seeks to strengthen its position in the global technology industry.

The Southeast Asian country has set its sights on becoming an “AI nation” by 2030, with plans to expand its digital infrastructure and attract major investments in advanced technology.

The proposed SoftBank investment could support Malaysia’s ambitions by helping develop its data centre capacity and encouraging the growth of AI-related industries.

However, further details regarding the investment timeline, project locations and implementation plans have yet to be announced.