Malaysia Data Centre Observatory

Independent analysis of Malaysia’s data centre ecosystem

The Malaysia Data Centre Observatory (MDCO) is an independent platform that studies the evolution of Malaysia’s data centre ecosystem through structured, evidence-based analysis.

It does not advocate for any stakeholder position. Instead, it focuses on improving transparency by clarifying objectives, constraints, and system interactions across the sector.

What MDCO Does

MDCO applies a structured observatory methodology to understand complex infrastructure systems. It breaks down public-interest issues into atomic objectives, examines how they interact, and traces how they evolve over time.

• Explain — Establish clear foundational understanding of key concepts and systems
• Analyse — Examine stakeholder objectives, constraints, and trade-offs
• Research — Develop evidence-based insights using available data and studies
• Dialogue — Engage in structured clarification with stakeholders (future phase)

Explore the Observatory

Explain

Foundational explanations of Malaysia’s data centre ecosystem, including infrastructure, policy, and technical concepts.

Analyse

Structured analysis of stakeholder objectives, system dynamics, and trade-offs within the data centre ecosystem.

Dialogue

Structured engagement with stakeholders to clarify technical, planning and policy issues through evidence-based dialogue.

About MDCO

Methodology, principles, and the observatory framework behind MDCO.

Latest Publications

• A10.04 — Electricity Costs Behind Malaysia’s Data Centres – Projected Electricity Revenue Over 15 Years
  Parent article: A10 — Who Pays for the Electricity Behind Malaysia’s Data Centres? From Project Cost to Projected Revenue →A10.03 established the infrastructure and cost side of the reference case: Infrastructure → Asset Cost → Attributable Asset Cost → New-Build Cost → Project Cost This article develops the corresponding revenue side: Contractual Maximum Demand → Electricity…
• A10.03 — Electricity Costs Behind Malaysia’s Data Centres — From Infrastructure Cost to Project Cost
  Parent article: A10 — Who Pays for the Electricity Behind Malaysia’s Data Centres? From Unit Costs to Project Cost →A10.02 established the unit-cost building blocks required to estimate the infrastructure associated with a large data-centre connection. Those rates included 275-kV overhead transmission lines, underground cables, switching stations, 500/275-kV transmission interfaces, protection modifications and land. A10.03…
• A10.02 — Electricity Costs Behind Malaysia’s Data Centres – Establishing Unit Costs for the Connection Charge
  Parent article: A10 — Who Pays for the Electricity Behind Malaysia’s Data Centres? Why This Article Needs a Common Cost Basis The preceding article established a common reference case for examining the electricity costs associated with supplying a large data centre. The case is based on a hypothetical 300 MW Maximum Demand data centre in Iskandar…

Methodology

MDCO follows a continuous knowledge cycle:

Explain → Analyse → Research → Dialogue → Iterate

Rather than publishing static opinions, MDCO develops evolving analytical models that improve over time as new evidence and stakeholder clarification emerge.

Observatory Principle

MDCO does not advocate for specific policies or stakeholder positions.

Its purpose is to reduce informational asymmetry by making the structure of complex systems clearer, allowing all stakeholders to make better-informed decisions according to their own objectives and responsibilities.