KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — The federal government barred all civil servants from using the Waze navigation application over concerns that sensitive official data and users’ personal information could be harvested and exploited by Israel, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) confirmed today.
In a statement, the PMO confirmed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ordered an immediate ban across the public sector to safeguard government data and citizens’ movement information.
“This decision takes into account the status of Waze Mobile Ltd. As the data controller of users, incorporated and operating under Israeli law.
“Sensitive government information and the personal data of the people must be protected from being exploited by the Israeli regime in ways that could compromise national security and sovereignty,” the statement read.
PMO explained that Waze Mobile Ltd, which acts as the legal data controller for all user information collected via the platform, remains incorporated and subject to Israeli jurisdiction.
Official communications stressed that sensitive government logistics and personal travel records must be shielded from state-level exploitation that could compromise national security and sovereign interests.
Anwar also called on the wider Malaysian public to delete the app and migrate to homegrown navigational platforms like TuJu, pointing to the stronger data governance and privacy guarantees provided by domestic solutions.
“The MADANI government’s stance is firm, and we will close any space that can be exploited by the Israeli regime to threaten the security of the nation and its people,” the statement said.
The prohibition formalises a decision reached by the National Cyber Security Committee (JKSN) during its third meeting of 2026 on Oct 20, which was chaired directly by Anwar.
Following the committee’s decision, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar issued a formal circular directing all ministry secretaries-general, federal department heads, state secretaries, statutory body chiefs, and local council leaders to enforce the ban immediately across all departments and subordinate agencies.
Anwar had earlier raised security concerns on Oct 20 regarding the exposure of citizens’ geolocation profiles, pointing out that Waze operates within the Israeli statutory and regulatory framework.
To replace foreign navigation tools, the government is throwing its weight behind TuJu, a local mobility platform jointly developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd.
Officially unveiled by Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi on Nov 26, 2025, the application is available across major mobile app stores. Alongside turn-by-turn navigation and estimated arrival times, the app integrates real-time highway toll data, live traffic camera feeds, rest-and-service area locator tools, and on-demand highway emergency assistance.
