For Kota Damansara residents worried about a data centre near their homes, the outcome was concrete: the developer withdrew its planning application. Their concerns had reached the authorities, with Sungai Buloh MP Datuk Seri R. Ramanan among the elected representatives who helped carry them there.
On 20 August, Ramanan said MBPJ had informed him of the withdrawal and that the proposal would not proceed for the time being. He framed the outcome around a clear responsibility: residents affected by major developments deserve to be heard.
His involvement included putting objections in writing, having his service centre examine the proposal and standing alongside residents in the formal feedback process.
He put the objection on paper
Ramanan submitted an official objection letter to the Petaling Jaya mayor on 15 July. Two days later, he said the issue would be brought to Cabinet for discussion, including the need for more comprehensive guidance on locating data centres near residential areas.
According to his statement, the Sungai Buloh parliamentary service centre had reviewed the proposal following residents’ complaints. Its preliminary assessment identified questions about the location, existing infrastructure, environmental effects and the community’s quality of life.
He also said his service centre had not previously been informed or included in engagement sessions. His position was that development should be grounded in “facts, thorough studies and meaningful engagement with all stakeholders”.
That gave residents a representative taking their concerns through official channels while seeking scrutiny beyond one application.
On 27 July, Kota Damansara assemblyperson Izuan Kasim submitted a memorandum to MBPJ alongside residents, local councillors and Ramanan. The concerns included water and electricity consumption and possible environmental effects on surrounding communities.
Residents organised and raised objections; their representatives helped bring those concerns to the council. The developer subsequently withdrew the application.
A withdrawn application, with a clear timeline
The dates matter here.
Although Ramanan’s update was reported on 20 August, StarMetro had earlier reported MBPJ’s confirmation that it received the withdrawal notice on 28 July. Its 1 August report identified the site along Jalan Rimba Riang 9/6 in Section 9, Kota Damansara.
MBPJ said the withdrawal allowed the developer to reassess the site’s feasibility and development components.
The same report quoted the outgoing mayor saying a fresh application could still be submitted if it complied with the local plan. Any future planning application would have to follow due process, with residents able to submit feedback or objections.
The verified outcome is therefore the withdrawal of that application. The reporting reviewed as of 24 October does not establish a permanent development ban or a later approval for the site.
Why the result mattered to the neighbourhood
Water, electricity and the effects of a large facility are everyday concerns for people living nearby. They affect how residents judge whether a development fits the place they call home.
The withdrawal stopped this particular application from advancing. For residents, it showed that organising, asking questions and submitting objections could produce a tangible result.
The Malaysia Data Centre Observatory also acknowledged Ramanan’s emphasis on community engagement and transparency in a published request for clarification about low-frequency noise and planning standards.
Its request sought clearer information on equipment such as chillers and standby generators. Marked as awaiting a response, the letter also shows why residents still need answers on the technical safeguards any future proposal would face.
Where Budget 2027 comes in
Malaysia is continuing to invest in digital infrastructure. Budget 2027, tabled on 9 October, places the local debate within a much bigger investment and resource-planning picture.
The official Malay speech identifies:
- RM15 billion in TNB investment to strengthen the national electricity grid.
- A RM2.5 billion national programme focused on replacing 1,900 kilometres of critical ageing water pipes.
- A RM1.25 billion New Economy Venture Fund, established by Sime Darby Property, EPF and LTAT, for data centres and logistics assets in Elmina, Selangor.
These are national infrastructure measures and a separately identified investment location, detailed in the official Budget 2027 speech. They are not evidence of planning approval for the withdrawn Kota Damansara proposal or a dedicated allocation to its residents.
For Kota Damansara, the useful connection is the standard of planning that accompanies investment: adequate infrastructure, suitable locations and clear answers for the people living nearby.
The resource questions are still being examined
On 13 October, PETRA said the government was assessing data centres’ actual electricity and water requirements. Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said assessments should consider benefits to the country and the public alongside resource consumption.
The industry is discussing these pressures too. Reporting on 23 October from the Malaysia Cloud & Datacenter Convention highlighted power availability and infrastructure constraints. It also described recent parliamentary proposals concerning transmission-upgrade costs and unused committed electricity capacity. The measures were reported as proposals, with implementation still to be established.
The questions Kota Damansara residents raised therefore remain relevant well beyond their own streets.
Turn the outcome into lasting reassurance
Ramanan’s documented actions show an MP responding to complaints, formally objecting and joining residents in seeking scrutiny. That is a meaningful contribution to the outcome, alongside the community, Izuan, councillors and MBPJ’s planning process.
The next useful step would be a clear public update from MBPJ setting out the withdrawn application’s status, the current planning position and the process any new proposal would face.
Ramanan could build on his advocacy by seeking that update and pressing for understandable technical information, adequate notice and a clear record of how residents’ feedback influences future decisions.
For households around Jalan Rimba Riang, reassurance should be something they can check: a dated council record, a clear status for the site and an opportunity to be heard before another proposal moves forward.
Sources & further reading
Prepared with AI assistance from linked reporting. The cover is an AI-generated editorial illustration. Spotted something we should correct?