Malaysia bans civil servants from using Waze for official duties over data security concerns

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Malaysia has banned civil servants from using the Israeli-founded navigation app Waze for official duties, citing concerns over personal data security and the possibility that users' movement information could fall under Israeli legal jurisdiction.

The directive took effect immediately on 20 October 2026, following a meeting of the National Cyber Security Committee chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

However, the government clarified on 22 October that the restriction applies only to official government duties and that ordinary Malaysians remain free to use Waze.

Authorities are encouraging the public to uninstall the app and consider locally developed alternatives, although Malaysia's recommended navigation platform, TuJu, has faced complaints over technical problems.

Government raises concerns over Israeli jurisdiction

The restriction was announced through a circular issued by Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.

The circular instructed ministry secretaries-general and department heads to communicate the directive to all civil servants under their supervision, including personnel in government agencies.

Enquiries about the restriction are to be directed to the National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa), which operates under the National Security Council in the Prime Minister's Department.

In a Facebook post on 21 October, Anwar said the government had examined information security risks and the potential exposure of users' movement data through Waze.

He highlighted concerns that the navigation service was subject to Israeli law and encouraged Malaysians to consider TuJu, developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM).

No nationwide ban on Waze

National Security Council director-general for National Security Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin said on 22 October that the government would not impose a blanket ban on Waze.

Speaking at a press conference at Nacsa headquarters, he said authorities needed to balance national security concerns with individual freedoms.

“We always need to strike a balance between security and human rights consideration and freedom of expression, freedom to choose,” he said.

Nushirwan explained that the government's concerns extended beyond the technology itself to the legal framework governing personal data.

He pointed to Waze Mobile Ltd's terms of use, which state that its agreement is governed by Israeli law.

“If they are willing for their data to go to Israel, and any legal disputes to be decided by Israeli courts, that is a matter of their own discretion,” he said.

He also warned that navigation applications could continue collecting information when not actively used, depending on device settings and permissions.

Nushirwan compared data to fuel, explaining that navigation applications and artificial intelligence systems depend on information to function.

He said Malaysia needed greater control over citizens' data to protect national information sovereignty and support its ambition to develop domestic artificial intelligence technology.

Civil servants face possible disciplinary action

Nushirwan confirmed that the restriction on Waze during official duties was effective immediately.

“The directive is effective immediately. In terms of implementation, there are procedures in place,” he said.

He explained that individual government departments would determine how to monitor compliance.

“In general, we leave it to the respective departments' discretion,” he said, adding that breaches of directives issued by the Chief Secretary to the Government could result in disciplinary action.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo separately clarified that civil servants were not required to use TuJu exclusively.

They could continue using other navigation services, including Google Maps, while performing official duties.

Gobind also reiterated that the restriction did not extend to members of the public using Waze for personal journeys.

Malaysia's alternative app faces technical complaints

The government's recommendation of TuJu has drawn attention to problems reported by users of the locally developed navigation application.

LLM previously apologised for service disruptions following a surge in users.

Complaints posted on social media platforms, including Threads, described unreliable route guidance, insufficient real-time traffic incident information, software bugs and repeated crashes.

Some users reported that routing problems made the application difficult to use.

The technical difficulties have also prompted public questions about the cost of developing TuJu and whether it was ready for widespread use.

Lawmakers have reportedly described the application as a “national embarrassment”, while questions have been raised about public spending and whether the Waze restriction should be reconsidered.

TuJu developer outlines new features

LLM deputy director-general for operations Mohammed Ridzuan Jahidin said TuJu's first version was launched in November 2025.

It introduced navigation services, traffic camera-related functions and a feedback system allowing motorists to report incidents along their journeys.

The second version adds information about electric vehicle facilities, roadblocks and saved destinations.

It also includes a feature helping drivers locate parked vehicles, particularly in large parking areas.

Mohammed Ridzuan said the authority was working to make the upgraded TuJu 2.0 available across mobile operating systems.

The iOS version was undergoing final testing before its planned release on Apple's App Store.

“It will likely be released by end of this year,” he said.

Waze rejects allegations over data collection

On 22 October, Waze rejected allegations that it collected sensitive government information or allowed users' personal data to be exploited.

In a statement to Reuters, the company described such claims as completely false.

“Waze operates under strict privacy policies that protect user data and comply with global legal data protection standards,” a company spokesperson said.

Waze was founded in Israel in 2008 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv.

The application uses satellite positioning and information contributed by motorists to provide navigation directions and real-time traffic updates.

Google, owned by US technology company Alphabet, acquired Waze in 2013.

Malaysia is a longstanding supporter of the Palestinian cause and does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.