M'sia govt urges citizens to delete Waze citing Israeli links, bans civil servants from using app

The Malaysian government has instructed civil servants to stop using the popular navigation app Waze, citing concerns over potential threats from the Israeli regime. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared this ban on Oct. 21 through a Facebook post, emphasizing the necessity to safeguard government information and user data from possible abuse.

Waze, which is owned by Google, denied the accusations, stating that it adheres to stringent privacy policies and complies with international data protection regulations. The app operates using satellite signals and crowd-sourced data from drivers to provide real-time traffic updates. However, Anwar highlighted that the company remains under Israeli jurisdiction.

In response to the ban, the Malaysian government encouraged citizens to use local alternatives such as Tuju, a navigation app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority. National Security Council director-general for National Security, Nushirwan Zainal Abidin, stressed the importance of striking a balance between security concerns and human rights, particularly freedom of choice. He also noted that Waze might still gather data, even when not in use, depending on its settings and device permissions.