Experts want proof TuJu is safer than Waze

The Malaysian government has urged users to switch to the locally developed navigation app TuJu instead of Waze due to security concerns. However, technology lawyer Foong Cheng Leong has called on the government to provide evidence that TuJu is indeed safer than its Israeli-based counterpart. Foong highlighted that TuJu collects users' location data and shares it with mapping service providers, but emphasized the need for transparency regarding what information is shared, where it is stored, and who has access to it.

Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Act 2010 requires companies to safeguard personal data, but enforcing these laws against foreign entities can be challenging, especially if the data is stored overseas. Cybersecurity expert M Selvakumar from Universiti Sains Malaysia urged the government to disclose the tests conducted on TuJu to prove its security, stating that the app's Malaysian origins do not guarantee that personal data is stored locally or shielded from foreign access.

Selvakumar stressed that Malaysia needs control over the entire system, including the app, the technology behind it, the servers storing data, and how it is handled. Despite TuJu's launch in November 2025 and its use of Google mapping data and Maybank technology, the app has faced criticism for inaccurate routing, glitches, and a lack of real-time traffic updates.

The government's decision to prohibit civil servants from using Waze while encouraging the public to switch to TuJu has raised questions about the latter's security and privacy measures.