Opposition to a proposed data centre in Kota Damansara, Selangor, escalated today as residents submitted a memorandum to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), urging it to delay the project over environmental and community concerns.
The memorandum, addressed to Petaling Jaya mayor Zahri Samingon, was submitted by Kota Damansara assemblyperson Izuan Kasim alongside residents, local councillors, and Sungai Buloh MP R Ramanan.
Izuan said the objection was not limited to those living closest to the proposed development, but reflected broader community concerns.
“For your information, this is part of a formal objection made by the community, not only those residing in Sections 8 and 9, but the whole of Kota Damansara, to delay this project.
“Among the community’s concerns are the project’s water and energy consumption, as well as its potential environmental impact, which could affect residents living in the surrounding area,” he said when met outside the council’s office today.
Following the submission, Izuan said MBPJ informed the group that the proposal was still undergoing the statutory objection process.
Once the public notice period ends, he said the council will review the objections before holding a public hearing where residents can present their concerns.
“We expect more information about the project to be disclosed during the hearing. Based on that information, we will provide further input and continue pushing for the proposed data centre to be scrapped,” he said.
Growing opposition
The memorandum follows growing opposition since the proposal surfaced earlier this month.
On July 15, Izuan urged MBPJ to defer the approval process, hold a public engagement session with affected residents, and release the project’s technical documents for scrutiny.
On the same day, a protest letter from a coalition of Section 9 residents’ associations circulated online, calling on MBPJ to reconsider the project over concerns about its environmental impact and location.
Section 9 community representative Razif Lazim said the proposed site was a vacant plot surrounded by residential areas, with some homes located less than 50m away.
“It is still an empty plot, but it is surrounded by homes. There is also a petrol kiosk next to the site, although we do not know who will operate it,” he told reporters today.
Razif said residents were surprised by the proposal after a public notice for the data centre was erected at the site about two weeks ago.
He claimed the land was previously intended for shoplots before plans changed to a high-density condominium project, which was later withdrawn following objections from residents and local representatives.
Meanwhile, Izuan insisted that the location was unsuitable, arguing that Kota Damansara already has industrial areas that would be more appropriate for a data centre.
“Kota Damansara already has industrial zoning in Sections 2 and 3 where such a facility could be located, but instead the landowner has chosen a site next to residential homes,” he said.
He added that residents living near data centres in countries such as the United States, Japan, and several in Europe had also raised concerns about their impact on surrounding communities.
Calls for better notification
Residents also criticised MBPJ’s public notification process, claiming many households were unaware of the proposal until the objection period was nearly over.
Jalan Istana Kota residents’ representative Narindera Pall Singh claimed the objection period had been reduced over time, from 21 days to 14, and now seven, leaving residents with limited time to respond.
He also questioned MBPJ’s reliance on physical notice boards, saying public information should be distributed through digital channels as well.
“This is why we believe the council should review how it issues public notices to residents. You cannot just put up a board and expect residents to spot it.
“If Razif had not gone for his evening walk at that time, we would have missed the board, and this project could have been approved,” Narindera said.
He said notices for major developments should also be shared with elected representatives and councillors so affected residents can be informed quickly.
However, in a statement to StarMetro, MBPJ said it had extended the public consultation period from July 21 to 27 after errors were found in the original notice board.
The council said the developer was instructed to rectify the errors on July 15, while notices seeking public feedback were sent by registered post to relevant stakeholders on July 17, giving them seven days to respond.
Greenpeace backs residents
Environmental NGO Greenpeace Malaysia, which attended the memorandum submission, also backed residents’ objections, saying data centres should not be located within or near residential areas due to potential environmental and social impacts.
Greenpeace community associate coordinator Aidil Iman said the group supported calls to oppose the proposed commercial data centre and restrict such developments in residential areas.
He also raised concerns that the project would replace a green space currently used by residents.
“This is a tangible location that is going to be replaced by a water- and energy-intensive infrastructure. So we don’t want that,” he said.
Aidil said communities concerned about developments affecting their environment, health, and water security should work with civil society groups, adding that Kota Damansara residents had shown how communities could organise and formally object to projects they considered unsustainable. - Mkini
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