‘What’ll become of our village?’: Johoreans choke on dust, noise as data centres move in next door

Johoreans grapple with dust and noise as data centres move in, raising concerns about environmental impact and community consultation. Read more at straitstimes.com.

PASIR GUDANG, Johor – For most of her life, 64-year-old retiree Amnah Jemat has lived in Kampung Cahaya Baru, a quiet traditional Malay village of low-lying homes on a hill in Pasir Gudang, Johor Bahru.

Her family home once overlooked a forested area, and her mornings were cool and dewy. That view is about to change.

Singapore-based Racks Central is constructing three data centres on two plots of land spanning around 7ha – about the size of 10 football fields. These facilities are being built a stone’s throw from her doorstep on land that had previously been cleared. One 90MW facility is set for completion in December 2026.

“We thought it was going to be a shopping centre, and we were excited. After all, we live in a village with limited amenities,” the former factory worker told The Straits Times.

“Now we’re told it’s a data centre. We don’t know what it will be like when it’s built. Will our health be affected, and will our water supply be limited?” 

Madam Amnah is among residents in several Johor towns who are adjusting to a new reality – living next to data centres.