SCMP
Hong Kong English-language newspaper; reported Johor data-centre applicants face mid-2027 water connection delays.
Last refreshed: 6 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
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Reported applicants in Johor told to await water connections until mid-2027
Data Centres: Boom and Backlash: Johor halts data-centre approvals after water protestWhat did the South China Morning Post report about Johor data centres?
Is the South China Morning Post independent of China's government?
What is the best English-language source for Southeast Asian tech news?
Background
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that data-centre applicants in Johor, Malaysia are being told to wait until mid-2027 for water connections, corroborating The Diplomat's broader reporting on Johor's halt to Tier 1 and Tier 2 approvals following Malaysia's first water-rights protest against data-centre development. The SCMP's sourcing adds specificity to the Johor story — the mid-2027 date is the SCMP's attribution, not the Malaysian government's formal announcement.
The South China Morning Post is an English-language newspaper based in Hong Kong, founded in 1903. It was acquired by Alibaba Group in 2016 and is the primary English-language news source covering Greater China and Southeast Asia for a regional and international business audience. Its ownership by Alibaba has been noted by press-freedom organisations, though the SCMP maintains an editorial line independent of mainland Chinese state media.
For the data-centres topic specifically, SCMP provides Southeast Asian market intelligence — Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand — that is upstream of most Western trade press. Its reporting on Johor is the source for the mid-2027 water-connection date, making it a tier-2 source worth tracking for further Southeast Asian DC developments.