TM Global’s Executive Vice President, Khairul Liza Ibrahim, was featured in an interview with Capacity TV, where she discussed how TM Global is strengthening Malaysia’s position as a leading digital infrastructure gateway to Southeast Asia.

During the conversation, she highlighted TM Global’s role as more than a connectivity provider. As a full stack digital infrastructure partner, TM Global helps organisations reduce deployment complexity, accelerate time to market, and scale digital and AI driven services across ASEAN with confidence.

By combining global connectivity, data centre, cloud, and digital infrastructure capabilities, TM Global enables businesses, content providers, and hyperscalers to expand into the region while meeting rising demand for high performance digital services.

At the Asian Telecom Awards 2026, TM Global was honoured with three industry accolades, reflecting the continued trust of our partners and the dedication of our teams in advancing Malaysia’s digital landscape. This marks TM Global’s fourth consecutive year of recognition at the awards.

On stage to receive the awards were Hazrilhasnie Hashim, VP of Product & Marketing, together with Elvin Tan, Country Director of TM Singapore, and his team, representing the collective effort behind this milestone.

TM Global received:

• Fast-Track Deployment of the Year - Malaysia

• Infrastructure Initiative of the Year – Malaysia

• Telecom Company of the Year – Malaysia

Each recognition tells a story of accelerated deployments, strengthened infrastructure, and deepened partnerships that continue to advance Malaysia’s digital landscape.

Beyond the awards, we also joined industry leaders at the Asian Telecom Summit 2026. In the panel discussion, “The New Connectivity Power Map: Competition, Co-opetition or Convergence?” Hazrilhasnie shared the wholesale perspective on how convergence and ecosystem collaboration are reshaping telecom and how TM Global enables this through global connectivity, interconnect solutions, digital infrastructure, and platform-driven partnerships that empower digital players to scale seamlessly.

To our customers and partners, thank you for the trust that drives us forward.

Four years on, and the focus remains clear: strengthening Malaysia’s digital backbone and progressing towards our ambition of becoming the nation’s Digital Powerhouse by 2030.

The journey continues.

TM Global’s Executive Vice President, Khairul Liza Ibrahim, was featured in an interview with Capacity TV, where she discussed how TM Global is strengthening Malaysia’s position as a leading digital infrastructure gateway to Southeast Asia.

During the conversation, she highlighted TM Global’s role as more than a connectivity provider. As a full stack digital infrastructure partner, TM Global helps organisations reduce deployment complexity, accelerate time to market, and scale digital and AI driven services across ASEAN with confidence.

By combining global connectivity, data centre, cloud, and digital infrastructure capabilities, TM Global enables businesses, content providers, and hyperscalers to expand into the region while meeting rising demand for high performance digital services.

Watch the full interview to know more.

This interview was first published on Capacity TV Global on 4 February 2026

On 6 February 2026 at KL Hilton, TM Global joined industry peers at LiveX KL, Asia’s gathering of telecom innovators, visionary leaders, and next-generation carriers, set against the city’s ever-changing skyline. Held in conjunction with the event, the Fast Mode Awards 2025, organised by The Fast Mode, a global media publishing house, marked the first edition of the awards, bringing the industry together to reflect on progress and shared ambition.

TM Global was represented by its senior leadership, including Khairul Liza Ibrahim, EVP; Hazrilhasnie bin Hashim, VP of Product & Marketing; and Mohd Idham bin Adnan, GM of Adjacent Business Innovation, Product & Marketing, attending in support of the teams behind the work.

During the evening, TM Global was grateful to be recognised as Openness & Collaboration Leader – Performance (Telco | Global / Wholesale) and Edge Tech Champion – Innovation (Solution Provider). These recognitions spoke to the collective efforts of colleagues who collaborate closely with partners and customers to build dependable, future-ready connectivity solutions.

A meaningful moment followed when Khairul Liza Ibrahim received the Woman Leader of the Year (APAC | Telco) award, acknowledging her leadership and contributions to the telecommunications landscape across the region.

As the inaugural Fast Mode Awards unfolded alongside LiveX KL, the evening felt less about accolades and more about community. For TM Global, it was a reminder of the importance of listening, learning, and continuing the journey together with partners and customers in shaping the future of digital infrastructure.

As the digital economy accelerates, seamless connectivity is now the cornerstone of growth.

TM Global, Telekom Malaysia’s (TM) domestic and international wholesale arm, is empowering Malaysia to become the digital gateway of Asean, linking businesses across the region and around the world.

Building a resilient digital backbone

TM Global operates one of Malaysia’s most extensive digital infrastructures, combining nationwide fibre networks, 5G backhaul, submarine cables and hyperconnected data centres.

This end-to-end ecosystem enables telcos, cloud providers and hyperscalers to deliver high-speed, low-latency services that power cloud adoption, artificial intelligence (AI), streaming and industrial internet of things (IoT).

Beyond Malaysia, TM Global’s reach spans 33 submarine cable systems across 275,000 km, connecting the nation to major digital hubs in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

New investments into Asia United Gateway East (AUG EAST) and the Candle subsea cable systems, along with the newest, fifth international Cable Landing Station (CLS) in Morib, Selangor, and an upcoming one in Kuala Sedili, Johor, further strengthen Malaysia’s role as a regional data hub.

Complementing this, TM Global continues to expand its border-to-border fibre connectivity and international subsea cable systems across Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, creating a seamless north-south digital corridor to strengthen the country’s position as Asean’s digital crossroads.

“Our goal is to anchor Malaysia at the heart of Asean’s digital ecosystem,” says TM Global executive vice president Khairul Liza Ibrahim.

“By expanding our subsea, terrestrial and core infrastructure assets, we enable global players to connect and scale with confidence.”

Expanding data centres and edge ecosystem

With the rise of cloud computing and AI workloads, TM Global is scaling its hyperconnected, energy-efficient data centres.

The Klang Valley Data Centre (KVDC) and Iskandar Puteri Data Centre (IPDC), have been upgraded with an additional combined 20MW IT load, ensuring businesses enjoy secure and scalable infrastructure.

Today, TM Global operates five data centres and seven Edge Data Centres across Malaysia, complemented by a regional hub in Hong Kong.

This distributed architecture reduces latency, supports real-time applications and improves consistency for digital services, including cloud gaming, streaming, fintech and industrial IoT.

By bringing contents closer to Malaysians, TM Global elevates overall user experience and strenghtens enterprise digitisation nationwide.

“Our expanding edge and data centre strategy delivers services faster, closer and more securely,” Khairul Liza adds.

“It lays the groundwork for Malaysia’s next wave of innovation and emerging digital services.”

Aligned with TM’s sustainability priorities, TM Global’s KVDC and IPDC are Tier III and LEED-certified.

Recent expansions to both data centres as well as the upcoming AI-ready, green TM Nxera Data Centre Campus in Johor, prioritise improved Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and renewable energy adoption, reflecting the requirements of hyperscalers and regulated industries.

The TM Nxera AI-ready Data Centre Campus will also deliver 64MW of IT load, scalable to 200MW in the future. Located in the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone, this new data centre enables secure cloud migration and AI deployment while supporting digital trade, high-value job creation and sustainable digital growth across Asean.

Platform innovation for businesses

TM Global’s infracture is complemented by platform-based innovations designed to support enterprise growth.

Its flagship GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), hosted entirely within TM’s secure sovereign data centres, provides scalable AI compute that supports multiple GPU and hardware brands without upfront capital-intensive investments.

“GPUaaS gives Malaysian enterprises and innovators freedom to adopt AI with agility and confidence,” says Khairul Liza. Industry use cases span retail analytics, logistics optimisation, maintenance automation, financial modelling and campus digitisation.

TM Global is also upgrading its Content Delivery Network (CDN) and gaming platforms, leveraging 160 global CDN nodes to deliver faster content distribution, smoother gameplay and more reliable live streaming.

Securing data, strengthening trust

TM Global adopts a “security-by-design” approach, incorporating multi-layered safeguards, continuous monitoring and intelligent threat detection.

Key data centres, including KVDC, IPDC, and Brickfields (BFDC), hold SOC 2 Type II certification, meeting stringent global standards.

Additionally, TM maintains certifications including ISO/IEC 27001 (Information Security), ISO 22301 (Business Continuity) and PCI DSS (Payment Security), reflecting its commitment to build customer trust, meet regulatory demands and establish proven processes for data protection and service continuity.

Its locally resident cloud solution and local processing further support the needs of regulated sectors including healthcare, fintech, government and industrial operations.

Being part of this established end-to-end digital ecosystem reinforces TM Global’s strategic positioning domestically and internationally, ensuring a secure and resilient digital ecosystem trusted by international partners.

Driving Asean’s digital growth

TM Global is laying the critical foundation as TM advances its aspiration to become Malaysia’s Digital Powerhouse by 2030.

Through domestic fiberisation, 5G backhaul, hyperconnected data centres, edge nodes, sovereign cloud platforms and global subsea connectivity, TM Global accelerates the nation’s digital ecosystem, enhances digital experiences, and drives enterprise digitisation, while attracting hyperscaler expansion into Malaysia.

These capabilities strengthen the nation’s role in powering ASEAN’s digital growth as they enable carriers, hyperscalers, content providers and enterprises to innovate, scale and compete confidently in the AI era.

This article was first published as an advertorial on The Star on 31 January 2026.

TM Global participated in the Pacific Telecommunications Council Conference 2026 (PTC’26) in Honolulu, joining global industry leaders, partners, and stakeholders at one of the key gatherings for the international telecommunications community.

The TM Global delegation was led by Executive Vice President Khairul Liza, alongside Vice President of International Sales Baharul Nizam, and supported by representatives from the US and North Asia regions, underscoring the company’s strong international market focus.

Throughout the event, TM Global engaged in strategic discussions with customers and ecosystem partners, focusing on evolving traffic demands, digital infrastructure growth, and the importance of resilient, high-performance connectivity across regions. The platform provided valuable opportunities to exchange insights on industry trends and explore collaborations that support the acceleration of digital transformation.

This year’s conversations at PTC’26 were strongly shaped by the accelerating impact of AI-driven workloads, the need for resilient and diversified network routes, and the growing focus on regional digital ecosystems that balance sovereignty with global reach. These industry shifts underscore the importance of scalable, low-latency international connectivity, an area where TM Global continues to expand its role as a trusted regional and global partner.

As a regional and global digital infrastructure provider, TM Global plays an active role in enabling seamless cross-border connectivity and supporting the digital ambitions of businesses worldwide. Participation at PTC’26 also reflects TM Global’s commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s position as a key digital gateway in ASEAN, by fostering international partnerships and expanding global network reach into the region.

TM Global’s continued presence at PTC underscores the importance of the platform within its key global industry engagements. This ongoing participation enables TM Global to sustain industry momentum, deepen long-term partnerships, and remain closely aligned with evolving global connectivity trends that shape digital infrastructure development.

TM Global has once again been recognised as a Zero Outage Approved Supplier for 2026 under the annual Zero Outage Approval Programme by T-Systems (Deutsche Telekom Technik GmbH).

This recognition reflects TM Global’s consistent focus on service reliability, strong operational processes, and proactive incident management. Maintaining zero outage standards year after year requires continuous monitoring, process improvement, and close coordination across teams.

Over the years, TM Global has strengthened service assurance through proactive network management, improved customer communications via the Keeping Customer Informed (KCI) approach, and optimised fibre restoration processes, contributing to uninterrupted services and zero SLA-violated incidents.

As digital connectivity becomes increasingly critical, TM Global remains committed to delivering reliable, high-performance connectivity that customers can depend on.

We are pleased to share that TM Global has been named the winner in the category of “Innovation in Data Center Engineering for GPUaaS” at the W.Media’s Cloud & Datacenter Awards 2025, held on 5 December 2025 in Sentosa, Singapore.

This recognition by W.Media, a leading technology media company in the Asia Pacific region, reflects TM’s commitment to continuous innovation in delivering digital infrastructure and services for today and the future.

The award acknowledges the successful deployment of Malaysia’s first GPUaaS at TM’s Tier-III, LEED-certified Iskandar Puteri Data Centre (IPDC) in Johor, demonstrating our engineering expertise in enabling advanced digital services within an existing world-class facility.

To our customers and partners, thank you for being with us on this journey. Together, we will continue shaping the future of digital infrastructure and connectivity.

 

Global tech companies looking to expand into ASEAN face both immense opportunity and rising complexity. ASEAN’s fast-growing digital economy is projected to reach US $600 billion by 2030, propelled by rapid cloud adoption, increasing AI workloads, and surging mobile data usage, according to a report from the ARC Group.

At the same time, tightening data sovereignty laws require companies to store and process data locally, forcing tech companies to invest in local infrastructure.

From real-time AI services to latency-sensitive digital platforms, success in this region demands more than raw compute power.

In the age of scalable AI, proximity is no longer optional. To deliver intelligent, real-time services across ASEAN, tech companies need digital ecosystems that are flexible, localised, and built to respond in milliseconds. It requires a mix of edge infrastructure, regional connectivity, and colocation-ready facilities that bring compute closer to users, reduce latency, and enable compliance with evolving regulations.

AI is pushing tech companies to turn to datacentre infrastructure that can be a gateway into ASEAN.

"Enterprises are also choosing to house an ever-growing proportion of their datacentre gear in colocation facilities, further reducing the need for on-premises datacentre capacity. The rise of generative AI technology and services will only exacerbate those trends over the next few years,” says chief analyst John Dinsdale, Synergy Research Group.

Tech companies may be equipped to support advanced AI workloads, but operating in ASEAN presents unique challenges. Real-time AI requires low-latency infrastructure that must be located close to users. They also need to meet local data regulations in each country. And if infrastructure can’t deliver reliable performance during peak usage, the value of AI quickly diminishes.

In ASEAN, success with AI depends on a combination of speed, compliance, and reliability.

Real-Time AI Depends on Proximity
Speed builds trust. Responsiveness is critical to how users perceive and trust AI services.

Tech companies implementing AI services in ASEAN, whether for fraud detection in financial platforms, predictive maintenance in manufacturing, or real-time personalisation in e-commerce, need infrastructure that performs in real time. Without that, AI risks becoming a liability instead of a differentiator.

Real-time AI depends on proximity to data and users, supported by GPU-accelerated compute and edge deployments. Yet according to Cisco, only 13% of organisations are fully prepared to support AI at scale, highlighting a significant infrastructure gap. The challenge is even greater for tech companies entering ASEAN. Without in-region capacity, data must travel thousands of kilometres, adding friction, increasing risk, and undermining the very advantage AI is meant to deliver.

TM Global enables low-latency AI experiences through distributed edge nodes and GPU-powered infrastructure, placing compute closer to users across ASEAN.

Localisation is Key to Regional Expansion
Every country brings its own playbook of data residency rules, cloud sovereignty requirements, and AI-specific governance. From Malaysia’s RMiT to Indonesia’s strict data localisation, regulators are making it clear: AI workloads must operate inside national borders.

The ARC Group report observes: “With data sovereignty laws tightening in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, companies are required to store and process data locally, more than ever. This regulatory shift is forcing cloud providers, and tech enterprises to invest in regional infrastructure.”

Adding new zones or spinning up more capacity won’t solve compliance if the infrastructure isn’t designed for sovereign hosting. Real-time AI-enabled workloads like LLM inference for local language apps, or dynamic ad serving depend on in-country processing to meet speed and privacy requirements.

With sovereign hosting, local access nodes, and compliance-ready infrastructure, TM Global helps tech companies meet regulatory requirements in every ASEAN market.

Reliable Infrastructure Enables Trusted AI
In the age of real-time AI, reliability means keeping models accurate, responses fast, and customers satisfied. Even a brief drop in performance can affect results, disrupt transactions, or cause compliance issues.

Infrastructure must offer redundancy within national borders, support failover paths that follow data laws, and maintain consistent performance during traffic spikes.

In ASEAN markets where businesses rely on AI for key operations like customer service and pricing, reliability is critical. Reliability now requires multi-zone redundancy within national borders, failover paths that respect data sovereignty, and network fabrics that keep inference speeds consistent during sudden spikes in demand.

Tech companies that fail to meet this standard risk losing both revenue and customer trust. TM Global delivers enterprise-grade reliability with Tier III-certified data centres, in-country redundancy, and intelligent failover paths that keep AI workloads stable under pressure.

The Infrastructure Behind Scalable AI in ASEAN
Each of these challenges, real-time performance, sovereign scalability, and AI-grade reliability, cannot be solved with generic cloud capacity. They require an infrastructure partner that understands ASEAN’s regulatory landscape, has the regional footprint to minimise latency, and keeps AI workloads secure and ready to scale within national borders.

TM Global offers a full stack of capabilities, including GPU-as-a-Service, edge infrastructure, high-capacity fibre, SD-WAN, direct peering, and advanced connectivity, to run, scale, and secure AI workloads across ASEAN. Tier III LEED certified data centres and strategically placed edge nodes bring compute closer to users and data, reducing latency and ensuring compliance with local regulations. A resilient cross-border backbone and dense peering ecosystem provide consistent, low-latency performance even under AI-intensive demand. data centres and strategically placed edge nodes bring compute closer to users and data, reducing latency and ensuring compliance with local regulations. A resilient cross-border backbone and dense peering ecosystem provide consistent, low-latency performance even under AI-intensive demand.

Together, these capabilities help tech companies expand across ASEAN seamlessly, while maintaining speed, compliance, and operational continuity.

TM Global gives you the foundation to rise to the challenge, and the advantage to lead.

To learn how TM Global can support your infrastructure strategy, get in touch with us.

Asia’s Media & Entertainment (M&E) industry is entering a new era of transformation defined by surging demand for digital content, AI-powered workflows, and immersive audience experiences. The opportunities are immense. The Asia Pacific market alone is projected to grow from USD 1.34 trillion in 2025 to USD 1.69 trillion by 2030,while Southeast Asia is expected to reach USD 825.3 million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 13.61%

But for media companies looking to expand into ASEAN or scale new formats across the region, the question isn’t just what to create, it’s how to deliver. Because behind every cinematic moment, viral stream, or interactive experience lies an invisible foundation, digital infrastructure that can handle the velocity, variety, and volatility of the region’s digital-first audiences.

This article explores the emerging infrastructure pressures media leaders face and how edge-enabled, AI-ready, and sustainability-focused platforms like TM Global are helping build what’s next in ASEAN.

The New Reality: Streaming, AI, and Scale in ASEAN

The region’s digital evolution has redefined the media business model. Viewers now spend over 48.7 minutes per online video session. Simultaneously, immersive content and real-time interactivity are reshaping production timelines, monetisation models, and compute requirements.

These shifts are converging and intensifying stress on outdated infrastructure. Media companies must now deliver ultra-responsive, hyper-personalised, immersive content at scale, while navigating region-specific challenges like fragmented networks, diverse device ecosystems, regulatory sensitivities, and unpredictable demand spikes.

Winning in ASEAN’s media market means building on infrastructure engineered for immediacy, intelligence, and impact.

1. Edge Streaming and the Latency Imperative

In the streaming age, delay is the enemy. Whether it's a live concert in Jakarta, an esports tournament in Manila, or a K-drama premiere across Malaysia and Singapore, buffering breaks engagement and revenue.

Yet many providers still rely on centralised data centres that struggle with last-mile delivery and high-throughput rendering. The challenge intensifies in ASEAN’s archipelagic and bandwidth-variable markets, where content must travel through multiple ISPs, languages, and geographies.

TM Global addresses this with edge streaming capabilities, combining Content Delivery Services (CDS), last-mile connectivity, and a robust regional IP Transit backbone to bring content closer to end-users. Its Edge Compute and Edge Gaming solutions, where cloud-based gaming content is processed closer to the player, enable seamless, lag-free gameplay and immersive experiences. These capabilities allow media and gaming brands to push workloads to the edge, achieving ultra-low latency, real-time performance, and high availability, even in rural or emerging markets.

2. The AI Workload Bottleneck

AI is the new engine of media value. From personalised content feeds to automated subtitling, from intelligent ad placement to deepfake-resistant editing, AI is rapidly reshaping how media is produced, consumed, and monetised.

But scaling AI workloads is no small task. GPU-intensive operations require massive computing density often closer to the edge for faster processing. Traditional cloud platforms lack the geographic control and responsiveness needed to meet rising content localisation and compliance needs.

According to IDC, 75% of enterprise AI workloads in Asia Pacific will run on hybrid, fit-for-purpose infrastructure by 2027, driven by a need to balance performance with regulatory alignment.

TM Global meets this demand with GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), available via sovereign-ready, energy-efficient data centres across ASEAN. This enables studios, broadcasters, and OTT platforms to train and scale AI models without investing in hardware or compromising compliance. Whether for real-time recommendation engines or generative AI content pipelines, TM Global delivers AI performance at regional speed.

3. Immersive Formats Need Immersive Infrastructure

Immersive formats, from 360° live experiences to augmented reality (AR) concerts, are no longer niche experiments. They’re becoming front-and-centre in M&E monetisation strategies, especially in Asia where mobile-first users are hungry for next-gen storytelling.

According to Grand View Research, the global immersive content creation market is expected to grow to USD 56.3 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 24.5%.

But these formats demand more than creative ambition. They require infrastructure that can handle ultra-low latency, high-throughput delivery, and real-time rendering capabilities that stretch legacy CDNs and centralised compute models.

TM Global’s Edge Compute and immersive-ready backbone are purpose-built for this world. By delivering compute power at the network edge, TM enables smoother, glitch-free AR/VR experiences. Add to that its intelligent traffic routing, failover, and multi-terabit subsea connectivity, and media brands can finally scale immersive media across fragmented ASEAN audiences without compromising experience quality.

4. Sustainable Streaming in the Spotlight

With the exponential rise of video traffic and AI processing, sustainability has become a boardroom issue for media leaders. A single hour of video content can emit up to 56g of CO₂, equivalent to driving a car for 222 metres.

Regulators, advertisers, and audiences are now demanding greener operations. Capgemini reports that 69% of global executives view stricter sustainability regulations as a top driver of their ESG initiatives.

TM Global is leading this transition with green-certified data centre , renewable energy integration, and liquid-cooling systems that reduce power consumption across high-density compute workloads. Its LEED-certified data centres, alongside efforts to decarbonise last-mile delivery, help media firms reduce emissions without sacrificing scale or speed.

Sustainable infrastructure is no longer just “good to have”, it’s a growth enabler in markets where environmental regulation is tightening fast.

Where TM Global Makes the Difference

TM Global is uniquely positioned to help Media & Entertainment companies tap into ASEAN’s booming digital economy providing infrastructure that meets the region’s distinct challenges head-on:

• GPUaaS and Edge Compute to accelerate AI and immersive content workflows
• Edge Gaming and Content Delivery Services to reduce latency and enhance engagement
• Sovereign-ready data centres for regulatory confidence
• Last-mile solutions and high-capacity IP Transit for borderless, seamless delivery
• Sustainability-first infrastructure for long-term growth

Whether you’re a regional broadcaster scaling up, a global OTT entering Southeast Asia, or a studio experimenting with next-gen formats, TM Global offers the platform to perform and grow.

Final Word: The Infrastructure Behind Every Great Story

The future of media in ASEAN won’t just be written in scripts it will be coded into infrastructure. Every creative breakthrough now depends on real-time delivery, intelligent processing, and sustainability at scale.

The winners of this next wave won’t be the ones with the biggest libraries but those with the infrastructure to bring stories to life, instantly, intelligently, and responsibly.

Ready to power what’s next in media?
Let TM Global help you build the foundation.
[Connect with us to explore our infra solutions.]