Charles Santiago
Another day, another data centre row. First Johor. Now Kota Damansara in Petaling Jaya.
Residents are protesting. MPs are objecting. The matter has even been escalated to the cabinet.
But here’s the real question: why are we waiting until communities push back before we ask whether a project belongs there? Good governance should start before approvals are granted, not after communities protest.
A familiar pattern
The issue with Kota Damansara is not about whether it should have a data centre. It is about how a proposal next to a residential area got this far in the first place.
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Malaysia already has planning guidelines. They cover site selection, utilities, buffers and other requirements. So the public deserves a straight answer: does this proposal actually comply with them?
Kota Damansara is not a one-off. Johor raised similar concerns earlier. Now it is Selangor’s turn. Different states, same pattern.
This is no longer a local planning dispute. It points to a national gap in how Malaysia plans and approves data centres.
Why this matters beyond Kota Damansara
If we keep reacting instead of planning ahead, today’s protests could turn into tomorrow’s resource crunch.
Data centres are power-hungry and water-hungry. They will increasingly compete with households and other industries for electricity, water and land.
Without stronger governance, Malaysia could end up facing costly energy choices, just to keep pace with demand it never properly planned for.
The country wants to be a regional data centre hub. Fair enough. But does our governance framework grow as fast as the industry it is meant to regulate?
Time for real scrutiny
Kota Damansara should be a turning point, not just another headline that fades in a week.
Malaysia’s data centre boom has outgrown its approval process.
Large data centres should undergo mandatory environmental and social impact assessments. These reports should be made public.
The authorities should also explain how public feedback actually shaped their final decisions.
Projects with major environmental, social or infrastructure impact deserve independent scrutiny before approval, not after residents are forced to protest.
As a starting point, the Petaling Jaya City Council should make all relevant planning and assessment documents for Kota Damansara publicly available.
That single step would tell us a lot about whether this system is built to serve communities or simply to wave projects through.
Charles Santiago is a prominent Malaysian politician, economist and human rights advocate who served three terms as the MP for Klang and has twice chaired the National Water Services Commission.
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