Connect | APAC // Major Panel: SIJORI - How will the first cross-border digital ecosystem shape the future of the industry?

Singapore, Johor (Malaysia) and the Riau Islands (Indonesia) form the SIJORI Growth Triangle, established in 1989. Today, the region is experiencing unprecedented growth in cloud adoption and data center investment, putting SIJORI back in the spotlight. The triangle connects three markets with distinct strengths: Singapore as the region’s connectivity and network hub, Johor as one of the fastest-growing data center markets, and Batam (Riau Islands) as an emerging development hotspot. As demand accelerates, SIJORI is rapidly evolving into Southeast Asia’s first attempt at an integrated, cross-border digital infrastructure ecosystem. This raises a critical question: how far can regional collaboration and alignment realistically go? And more importantly, can these nations overcome their differences to build what could become the next strategic global data center hub?

This discussion will explore:

• Whether SIJORI can operate as a unified digital ecosystem rather than parallel development markets
• What coordination between governments, regulators, and developers is required to make cross-border infrastructure viable
• How differences in power availability, policy maturity, and taxation are shaping investment and project timelines
• Whether shared sustainability and energy strategies can be achieved across borders with unequal resources
• If SIJORI can become a repeatable blueprint for regional integration or reveal the limits of Southeast Asia’s digital ambition