Kua Kia Soong

Kua Kia Soong is a Malaysian social activist, researcher and author, and a former director of the human rights group Suaram. He was the Democratic Action Party (DAP) MP for Petaling Jaya from 1990 to 1995, and later served as principal of New Era College in Kajang. He holds economics degrees from the University of Manchester and a doctorate in sociology.

He writes as a public critic of policy rather than for an organisation. In a letter published on 26 June 2026, signed as a former MP and former Suaram director, he asked federal and state governments to suspend data-centre approvals until Independent assessments confirm long-term power and water supply. He wanted households served first and operators made to pay the full costs they impose. His case rested on 38 projects holding 5.9 GW of supply agreements, about 43% of TNB's contracted capacity at the end of 2024.

He did not get his halt. On 15 October the trade minister, Johari Abdul Ghani, told Parliament that data centres now pay for every megawatt they book, used or not, a price on hoarding rather than a stop to building. Johor had already halted approvals over water in April 2026.