Why PM Anwar’s Waze ban is more than just a traffic move

For the average user, Waze is merely a navigation app. However, for the Malaysian government, it poses a significant national security concern. On a daily basis, when a high-ranking civil servant hops into their car to navigate the chaotic streets of Kuala Lumpur, they open Waze in hopes of finding the quickest route to their destination.

It appears innocuous, a common tool to streamline traffic. Underneath this seemingly harmless act lies a concerning vulnerability. The app is collecting precise location data, daily patterns, and the exact destinations of state officials, transmitting this information to servers governed by foreign laws. This exact loophole is why Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently issued a sweeping ban on civil servants using Waze.

While Waze is perceived as just a navigation app by the public, the government views it as a massive national security loophole. To grasp the gravity of the administration's decision, it is essential to delve into a larger web of tech security. The battle to protect Malaysia's digital borders has become increasingly intense, involving not only high-level enterprise tools like Wiz and Cado Security but also national watchdogs like the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Two major global corporations—Wiz and Cado Security (now part of cyber giant Darktrace)—have joined forces to combat hackers. Wiz operates as a constant security guard for cloud networks, scanning for vulnerabilities and detecting unauthorized access. Upon identifying a breach, Wiz alerts Cado Security, which swiftly snapshots the compromised server, preserving the evidence in time for forensic investigation.

This strategy serves as the backbone of Malaysia's cyber security framework, known as the Cyber Security Act. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) plays a crucial role in this ecosystem. While the MCMC is often associated with regulating telecommunications providers and blocking scam websites, it also serves as a front-line defender of Malaysia's digital infrastructure.

Collaborating with the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA), the MCMC operates a specialized Network Security Centre. In the event of a significant threat targeting Malaysia's telecommunications network, the MCMC coordinates with local internet providers and tech firms to bolster their defenses, employing advanced forensic techniques to trace and neutralize cyber threats before they can disrupt vital communications.

Despite Malaysia's robust tech defenses, the government remains concerned about the use of consumer apps like Waze. The PM's directive highlights three major risks that enterprise firewalls cannot mitigate. First, the foreign jurisdiction of Waze, originally developed in Israel and acquired by Google, raises concerns about the potential compromise of Malaysian digital sovereignty, as information collected by the app may fall under foreign legal jurisdictions.

Second, the app's pattern mapping capabilities could, in theory, map out the movements, meeting habits, and daily routines of Malaysia's leadership if used by thousands of government officials. This risk underscores the need for the government to encourage a shift towards localised alternatives. To address these risks, Anwar's administration has urged the use of TuJu, a homegrown navigation app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia), ensuring that Malaysian movement data remains within Malaysian borders.

The connection between advanced corporate tools like Wiz and Cado Security, regulatory bodies like the MCMC, and the government's ban on Waze reveals a clear narrative: data has become the new currency of national security. Cybersecurity is no longer solely about protecting laptops from viruses. It encompasses guarding the entire perimeter, securing data locally, and maintaining control over Malaysia's digital kingdom.

As of November 9, 2026, the government's stance on Waze reflects its commitment to safeguarding the nation's digital security.