Malaysia Prohibits Civil Servants From Using Waze Over Israeli Security Concerns
Malaysia has banned government employees from using the Waze navigation app, citing data security risks linked to its Israeli origins and ownership.
POLICY WIRE — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — The Malaysian government has officially prohibited civil servants from utilizing the navigation application Waze. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim cited significant security concerns regarding the app’s origins in Israel as the primary driver for the directive.
Authorities are raising alarms over the potential exposure of personal information and movement data to Israeli jurisdiction. The government is now actively promoting the use of TuJu, a domestic road navigation tool developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), as a secure alternative for public officials.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the necessity of this shift during a recent National Cyber Security Committee meeting. He highlighted the urgent need to bolster digital sovereignty and mitigate evolving cyber threats facing the nation.
The government is currently scrutinizing the broader risks associated with Waze, which is owned by Alphabet. Meanwhile, international developments continue to mirror these concerns, with Iraq announcing a total ban on the Waze application scheduled to commence at the beginning of 2027.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
