Malaysian Civil Servants Barred From Using Waze With Immediate Effect

The Malaysian government has swiftly prohibited civil servants from utilizing the Waze navigation application as of now, as confirmed by National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) chief Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin to The Star. This decision was prompted by apprehensions regarding the privacy and security of Malaysians' movement data, following Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's recommendation for citizens to adopt the locally designed TuJu navigation app as an alternative.

The directive, issued in a circular dated October 20, 2026, was a result of a meeting of the National Cyber Security Committee (JKSN) under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Anwar. The circular instructs all ministry secretaries-general and department heads to promptly inform their subordinates about the ban and ensure its immediate execution.

Earlier reports indicated that Anwar had urged Malaysians to employ TuJu, a navigation app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority, due to concerns over the security of data and movement information, as Waze is governed by Israeli laws. During the JKSN meeting on the same day, discussions also encompassed other cybersecurity matters, such as the security of the MyDigital ID system and measures against potential threats from quantum computing and autonomous artificial intelligence.

It remains uncertain whether the government intends to extend the prohibition to other categories or impose additional limitations on the use of Waze in Malaysia.