Fahmi says Malaysians can use any navigation app except Waze, including overseas alternatives

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated on October 23 that Malaysians can freely utilize any navigation app apart from Waze, including homegrown and foreign alternatives. The government is not endorsing a single substitute due to Waze's data security concerns and the ongoing enhancement of the locally developed TuJu app. At a weekly post-Cabinet press conference, Fahmi emphasized that the decision to exclude Waze was based on security concerns communicated by the National Security Council.

The National Cyber Security Agency reported two key issues: data transfer to Israel and the impossibility of resolving legal disputes in Malaysian courts due to Malaysia's lack of diplomatic relations with Israel. Fahmi acknowledged that the Malaysian Highway Authority was working on TuJu's improvements, but required detailed explanations regarding technical issues, performance, and user complaints.

A meeting convened by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar aims to examine the use of navigation applications, including local substitutes, ensuring the cessation of Waze usage, especially by civil servants.