After TuJu flop, Lim Guan Eng wants open tender for Malaysian-made Waze rival

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — DAP chairman and Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has called for an open tender to develop a new local navigation application as a replacement for the failed TuJu app. In a statement, Lim described TuJu as a "national embarrassment" and questioned why Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd (PCSB), the company behind the app, was awarded the project without an open tender.

Questions have been raised about the government's decision, with concerns over Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's involvement, the app's developer, ownership structure, and links to former public officials. Lim believes that Malaysians deserve a better navigation application, and he urged the government to give local developers the opportunity to prove themselves by providing adequate funding and free competitive bidding.

He suggested that the government should allocate existing funds to support local developers building Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) without forcing them to give up equity. Lim proposed utilizing funding programs such as Cradle Fund's CIP SPARK grant, which offers up to RM150,000 for early-stage innovation, and other initiatives by Cradle Fund and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).

He emphasized that competitive bidding, sufficient funding, and support for local talent would lead to a more effective homegrown navigation platform.