Johor MB wants DayOne, PDT, Ranhill SAJ to explore supplying excess treated water to public

Thursday 05 Nov 2026

Make The Edge Malaysia your preferred source on Google

JOHOR BAHRU (Nov 5): The Johor government has called on DayOne, Perbadanan Darul Ta'zim (PDT) and Ranhill SAJ to hold an immediate technical discussion to explore the possibility of channelling excess treated water from the data centre company’s water treatment plant for public use.

Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the proposal is considered feasible and could help increase the supply of treated water to meet residents’ needs amid the state’s rapid economic growth.

He said the initiative should be explored, given that Sungai Tebrau has a water flow of about 80 million litres per day (MLD), while DayOne’s maximum consumption is only around 10 MLD.

“So, I would like to request that a technical meeting be held as soon as possible to explore and determine how this technology can be utilised to ensure that more treated water can be supplied to the public, in line with Johor’s growing economy.

“As for electricity supply, as Jamie (DayOne chief executive officer Jamie Khoo) explained earlier, they are working with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) on the use of renewable energy, solar panels and other initiatives to ensure sufficient power for AI (artificial intelligence) operations here,” he said.

He said this when officiating the alternative water source launch ceremony at the DayOne Kempas Tech Park here on Thursday.

Also present were state Investment, Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Lee Ting Han, state Education and Information Committee chairman Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali, and Khoo.

Onn Hafiz said the plant uses raw water from the polluted Sungai Tebrau, which is then treated to meet the data centre’s operational needs, thereby reducing its reliance on the existing treated water supply network.

He said the approach reflects the commitment of Singapore-based DayOne to developing its own infrastructure and managing water resources more sustainably, without placing additional pressure on treated water supplies for domestic use.

On a related development, Onn Hafiz said DayOne had realised investments totalling about RM25 billion in Johor as of September, with the figure expected to reach RM28 billion by the end of this year.

He said the investments had also created about 650 high-skilled jobs in the state, including 432 filled by Johoreans, with salaries starting at around RM4,000 a month.

“DayOne has shown and proven that more than 650 people working in Johor are Johoreans, and, insya-Allah, this number will continue to grow," he said.

He added that the state government would continue to ensure that every investment in the data centre and AI sectors is carefully evaluated by a technical committee to safeguard the interests of the state and its people.

Three members of the state executive council, overseeing the investment, water and infrastructure, and public works portfolios, are involved in regularly reviewing the entry of such companies into the state.

He also said DayOne had allocated RM3 million in contributions to enhance education and talent development in Johor, and is committed to providing the same amount annually.

He added that strategic cooperation between the state government and industry players is important to ensure that the growth of the digital sector is supported by sustainable infrastructure, while delivering economic benefits and employment opportunities to the local population.

Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee

Text Size