The master developer of a data center in Johor, Tropicana Firstwide Sdn Bhd, has agreed to implement several measures to deal with the dust pollution complaint raised recently by about 50 residents in a data center-related protest, a first in the state. Among the measures were increasing the hoardings and netting on hillside slopes especially in areas facing residential zones, covering exposed soil areas with green netting (10,000 square metres of netting were claimed to have been delivered to the site), hydro-seeding to expedite vegetation growth, and continuing water spraying using several water bowsers.
About a week prior to that, the protest which claimed to represent about 1,000 residents, alleged that dust pollution kicked up by the construction of a data center, had caused health issues, amongst other complaints. The said data center operator, ZDATA Technologies, had responded with a press statement denying that the dust pollution was caused by them and had instead attributed it to construction from other sites in the same vicinity.
An opinion piece by w.media had then explored the possible regulations that might cover the issues involved in the protest: namely whether there is a law that prescribes a minimum distance between a data center construction site and a housing area (or the nearest house). It concluded that the local authorities are vested with full powers to deal with all issues posed by data centers as their discretion extends to all stages of the construction and operation of a data center, in addition to full powers to stipulate conditions prior to approving a data center application.
This includes enforcement action to ensure construction activities do not occur beyond the permitted hours, which was alleged by the residents.
The residents have also urged Tropicana Firstwide to cover laundry costs, medical bills, and water and electricity costs, a proposal that the developer, has agreed to consider. Currently, it has provided one free car wash facility but this was considered insufficient.
The decisions were made at a town hall meeting last Thursday called by Datuk Pandak Ahmad, State Assemblyman for Kota Iskandar. Attendees included Akmal Melan, Councillor for Zone 8 of the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP), officers from MBIP and the Department of Environment (DOE), and representatives of Tropicana Firstwide and ZDATA Technologies.
About 50 residents attended the session, including Abdul Rahman Halim, Village Head of Kampung Pulai Gelang Patah, and Ramli Paiman, Chairman of the Residents’ Action Committee on the Data Centre.
The affected areas include Taman Nusantara Prima, Taman Nusa Bayu, and Bayu Angkasa Apartments, which are in close proximity to Nusajaya 2 Industrial Park, Gelang Patah, the data center site.
According to a press statement by the Kota Iskandar state assemblyman, Tropicana Firstwide is still carrying out earthworks, while Phase Two of the ZDATA data centre building is nearly complete, with remaining works generating little dust as they involve only pre-mix layering and internal fit-out installation.
“In line with the direction of Dato’ Haji Mohd Jafni bin Md Shukor, Chairman of the Johor State Housing and Local Government Committee, I will hold townhall sessions with residents more frequently to find solutions to the challenges faced by the community,” said Pandak Ahmad in his press statement.