Digital ID requires strong security measures
Now, with the introduction of MyDigital ID, these concerns are resurfacing.
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The Star
32 minutes ago
- The Star
Johor pioneering wastewater recycling in data centre operations, says MB
JOHOR BARU: Johor has set a national precedent by becoming the first Malaysian state to integrate wastewater recycling into Tier 4 data centre operations, marrying cutting-edge digital infrastructure with sustainable resource management. Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi highlighted that this breakthrough bolsters Johor's position as the leading data centre hub in the country while supporting its long-term economic and environmental strategies. "To date, more than 50 applications for the construction of data centres have been received, with 42 projects already approved as of the second quarter of 2025," he stated. These projects represent RM164.45bil in total investments and have the potential to generate over 6,000 job opportunities for Malaysians, particularly Johoreans. Onn Hafiz, who is also the Machap assemblyman, shared this during the Alternative Water Usage Recognition Ceremony for the Data Centre Industry on Monday (Aug 11). He added that seven new applications involving water usage of up to 76 million litres per day are currently being reviewed by Johor Special Water (JSW) in collaboration with utility providers and the state government. The data centre industry has become a key driver for the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), the Johor Digital Plan, and the state's broader economic transformation agenda towards a competitive, high-value ecosystem. Rapid growth in the sector must be balanced with strategic and sustainable management of energy and water resources, Onn Hafiz emphasised. "To ensure this, the Johor Data Centre Development Coordination Committee was set up, co-chaired by three state executive councillors, to oversee data centre projects through a transparent review process," he said. The committee focuses on ensuring facilities adopt renewable energy sources and alternative water solutions to reduce pressure on the state's potable water supply. JSW, a subsidiary of Permodalan Darul Ta'zim Sdn Bhd, has partnered with national sewerage company Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) to supply alternative water sources for data centre cooling systems. Water supply options include raw water, reclaimed (recycled) water, and desalinated water. Under a 2011 agreement, JSW was granted exclusive rights by IWK to carry out wastewater reclamation projects across Johor for industrial use. As of June 30, JSW had received requests from data centre operators for a total of 136 million litres per day of alternative water supply. On Monday, three agreements were formalised to enhance the integration of reclaimed water into the state's data centre operations. The first agreement between IWK and JSW will channel treated effluent from sewage treatment plants across Johor into reclaimed water production facilities. The second agreement, involving JSW, Bridge Data Centres (BDC), and Computility Technology (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, covers the use of reclaimed water in cooling systems. BDC has been producing reclaimed water since June 9 at its Ulu Tiram plant, while Computility's facility in Iskandar Puteri is scheduled to be operational by December. The third agreement between JSW and DayOne Data Centres Sdn Bhd involves supplying raw water from the Tebrau River to a data centre in Kempas Tech Park, with operations expected to begin in November. Onn Hafiz said the initiative will not only reduce reliance on treated water for industrial use but also reinforce Johor's reputation as a green industry leader.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Nearly 100,000 Malaysians renounce citizenship for Singapore in a decade, says Home Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 97,318 Malaysians have renounced their citizenship to become citizens of Singapore between 2015 and June 2025, according to the Home Ministry. The figures were provided in a written reply to a question from Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) at the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Aug 11). In 2015, 7,394 Malaysians renounced their citizenship, followed by 8,654 in 2016, and 7,583 in 2017. The numbers remained steady with 7,665 in 2018, but saw a significant increase in 2019 with 13,362 individuals making the switch. The trend dipped in 2020 with 5,591 renunciations, likely influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, numbers picked up again with 7,956 in 2021 and 5,623 in 2022. A substantial increase was recorded in 2023 with 11,500 Malaysians making the change. The highest number within this period was in 2024, with 16,930 renunciations, and as of June 30 this year, 6,060 Malaysians have opted for Singaporean citizenship. Over the past decade, Malaysia has reportedly grappled with a significant brain drain, where skilled professionals leave the country for opportunities abroad. This trend is driven by the pursuit of higher salaries, better career prospects, and improved quality of life in countries like Singapore, Australia, and the United States. The sectors most affected include healthcare, engineering, finance, and information technology.
Malaysian Reserve
4 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Abolish auto AP to ease rakyat's pockets
Malaysia's household debt stood at RM1.53t (2023)…13.2% or RM201b consists of vehicle loans SLIGHTLY over a decade ago, in a number of rooms around Putrajaya, groups of people were semi-forcibly huddled together to brainstorm ideas on how to provide financial relief for more than 29 million Malaysians facing an inflation crisis. For the uninitiated — yes, those days governments did sit down to think of the people's predicaments. And yes, sit down and think they did. The implementation, however, well, that's a conversation for another cup of coffee. So, there were many heads gathered in these rooms, called 'labs'. Some suggestions were radical, some were solid and some were downright logical. One of the most common themes shared by these labs was the idea of liberalising the automobile sector. Specifically, to abolish the system of Approved Permits — aka APs — for the importation and sale of vehicles in the country. These APs are making Malaysia one of the most expensive car markets in the world. And who will foot the bill? The rakyat of course — through import and excise duties. Automobiles represent the second-largest source of debt after property investment among Malaysians. Malaysia's household debt stood at RM1.53 trillion at the end of 2023, representing 84.2% of the country's GDP. Of that, 13.2% — or RM201 billion — consists of vehicle loans. It is an open secret that the AP system has enriched selected corporations and a small circle of privileged Bumiputera individuals. While the burden it places on the rakyat is enormous, while its spillover effect to the broader Bumiputera community has been minimal at best. Most AP holders held their interests through private entities and built dynasties but not much anything else. One became a billionaire, built an auto empire and sent his kids overseas for education. Kids came back, bickered over the inheritance and fractured the whole business. One became smarter — built other ventures, notably in helicopters, partnered with a Zionist-linked private equity firm, became a billionaire, wised up even further, bought back equity and eventually became a philanthropist. The government was reluctant to abolish the AP system, using tax return revenue as an excuse — a justification that was overwhelmingly pathetic, as the numbers proved insignificant compared to the ringgit that could have been returned to the rakyat. Based on 2020 numbers, the government collected approximately RM2.35 billion in import duties, with completely built-up (CBU) motor vehicles contributing around RM404 million, or 17.2%. The same data revealed that the government also collected RM5.14 billion in excise duties on imported goods. If the same proportionate contribution is deduced, motor vehicles could have contributed an additional RM884 million. For both import and excise duties, the automotive sector contributed approximately RM1.28 billion — all paid to the government. If the AP system was abolished, what quantum would the benefits to the rakyat be? It would be difficult to flesh out the actual number, as there is no flat rate for either import duty or excise duties. And the well-known fact that AP-holding car companies are profiteering ridiculously under the guise of tax only makes things more difficult. However, one can make an estimation based on a purchase experience of a completely knocked down (CKD) model. For the purpose of calculation and financing, one CKD car owner inadvertently got hold of his vehicle's duties sheet — which clearly stated the actual cost of his brand-new car. Its net price upon arriving at the port was RM18,000. Because his car has a 1,800cc engine, he had to pay an 80% excise duty and approximately 10% import duty, which brought the total cost to RM34,200 to take the car out from the port. But he paid about RM78,000 for the car on the road — more than double (128%) of the actual cost. Even then, if we maintain the same percentage of profiteering, abolishing the AP system and its related excise and import duties would reduce the nett cost by 90% to RM18,000. Even if the car seller wanted to retain the ridiculous 128% margin, the buyer would pay only RM41,040 — effectively saving a good RM36,960 or 47% off the actual purchase price. Use the power of assumption on average variables, one could deduce that from the existing RM201 billion in vehicle loans, a good 47% — valued at RM94.5 billion — could be returned into the rakyat's pockets. Lose RM1.28 billion from the Treasury to give RM94.5 billion to the rakyat — it would be a hands-down winner, wouldn't it? We can endlessly speculate about how the public might react, but one thing is certain: No one would want to drive the car they bought at half the price to a downtown protest demanding the resignation of the person who abolished the burdensome motor tax. No one. Asuki Abas is the editor of The Malaysian Reserve. This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
