SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son plans a $50 billion investment in Malaysia, according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a speech in Melaka on Saturday, October 24, that SoftBank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son plans to invest about $50 billion in Malaysia. According to Bloomberg, which reported the remarks on October 25, Anwar said he had held a video call with Son the previous week. Asked where the money would go, he answered: “AI, new technology and data centres.”

Anwar said Son had chosen Kuching, the capital of Sarawak state, and parts of Peninsular Malaysia for the investment. No timeline, structure or specific projects have been disclosed. SoftBank representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the company has not confirmed the plan.

According to W.Media, SoftBank signed framework agreements earlier in October with Grab and Sarawak state agencies to explore AI infrastructure opportunities in the region. Data from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) show the country drew RM385.7 billion (about $94 billion) in data center related investment from 2021 through the first half of 2026. SoftBank is also involved in large data center efforts such as the Stargate project in the US and a project in France that could cost up to $84 billion.