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- Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor stated that data centres serve as a key driver for the implementation of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, the Johor Digital Plan, and the state’s border economic transformation agenda.
JOHOR BAHRU (July 29): Johor approved 42 data centre construction projects in the second quarter of this year (2Q2025), positioning the state as a leader in the country’s digital investment and a strategic destination for high-tech, knowledge-based economic growth in the region, said Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor.
In a Facebook post, he stated that data centres serve as a key driver for the implementation of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, the Johor Digital Plan, and the state’s border economic transformation agenda.
He made the statement following a Johor Data Centre Development Taskforce meeting, which was co-chaired by Johor Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communication Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh, and Johor Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Lee Ting Han.
Mohd Jafni said the meeting also reviewed seven new applications for data centre development in the Greater Johor Bahru area.
He said the task force represents a holistic approach by the state government, coordinated by the Johor Town and Country Planning Department (under PLANMalaysia) and involving key technical agencies in the state.
Mohd Jafni said the state government prioritises the development of data centres in planned industrial zones such as the Ibrahim Technopolis (IBTEC) in Kulai, the Sedenak industrial area, and the Pasir Gudang industrial zone, as these locations offer strategic advantages, including direct access to major highways, high-capacity power grids, stable water supply, and proximity to ports and international airports.
He added that a total of 7,618 acres of planned industrial land had been allocated for data centre development, including areas under the Pasir Gudang City Council, such as ASM Green, the Rising Gateway, Iskandar Halal Hub, Kosmo, and Keck Seng, as well as the IBTEC under the Kulai Municipal Council.
“The IBTEC, developed by Johor Land Group, alone has allocated 600 acres specifically for data centre development,” he said, adding that the state government will also limit new approvals for data centre construction in areas under the Johor Bahru City Council and Iskandar Puteri City Council to avoid land use conflicts with residential areas.
“The approval process for data centres in Johor is highly transparent and based on genuine technical requirements. Each application must comply with noise and heat control measures, architectural design standards, energy capacity requirements, as well as disaster and environmental risk management considerations.
He noted that Johor is the first state to adopt Tier 4 data centre technology, the highest classification for data centre reliability and redundancy, which includes air-cooling systems and wastewater recycling technology, developed in collaboration with Indah Water Konsortium and Johor Special Water.
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