Raja Zarith Sofiah calls for scrutiny of data centres' environmental impact

Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong Raja Zarith Sofiah has urged Malaysian authorities, the private sector and the public to scrutinize the environmental and social consequences of data centre expansion in the country. During her address at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's (UTM) 70th Convocation Ceremony, Raja Zarith Sofiah, who serves as UTM's Chancellor, drew attention to the significant electricity and water usage, land consumption, noise, and light pollution associated with data centres.

She emphasized the need to evaluate the impact on local communities, including excessive noise and bright lights from facilities operating continuously throughout the day and night. The monarch urged all stakeholders to recognize the high resource demands of data centres and consider their contribution to climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and natural resource depletion.

Raja Zarith Sofiah highlighted the role of the educated community in addressing environmental degradation through changing attitudes and collective responsibility to safeguard the planet for future generations. She also addressed the application of artificial intelligence (AI), urging its use to enhance human well-being rather than solely for economic gains.

As UTM spearheads the development of Malaysia's first Faculty of Artificial Intelligence, the monarch stressed the importance of ethical and responsible technological advancement, while reminding graduates of the necessity to continually upgrade their skills to adapt to rapid technological changes.