Data center construction in Malaysia sparks first public protest over pollution
Over 50 residents in Johor, Malaysia protested on February 7, 2026, against dust pollution and water concerns from an AI-driven data center construction project by Zdata Technologies and Tropicana Firstwide. The facility, unusually located near residential homes, is Malaysia's first data center to draw public protest despite the country's rapid expansion as a regional data center hub.
What happened
More than 50 residents gathered on February 7, 2026, in front of a data center construction site in Gelang Patah, Johor, Malaysia, to protest against the facility being developed for China's Zdata Technologies by local developer Tropicana Firstwide. The project is located less than one kilometre from residential homes. Local authorities had issued a two-week stop-work order in late 2025 for poor construction standards.
Protesters demanded an end to dust pollution and compensation for any negative health impacts, and expressed concern that the facility will impact their water supply. The residents represented nearly 1,000 people living across four housing estates in the district. The developers did not meet with the protesters, who dispersed after 90 minutes under police watch.
Reported impact
Residents reported severe construction dust pollution disrupting their daily lives. One 42-year-old resident stated: 'Every day I have to wash my car, every day I have to wash my porch and balcony, and I can't get fresh air anymore in my own home.'
Index analysis
This is Malaysia's first public protest against a data center project, despite the country emerging as Southeast Asia's main data center hub since 2022. The Gelang Patah project is unusually close to a residential area, whereas most other completed and ongoing data center constructions are located on former plantations or dedicated industrial land.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.