Malaysia has barred all civil servants from using Waze during official duties and urged citizens to abandon the platform, citing data security fears over its Israeli corporate structure and jurisdiction under Israeli law.
Cyber Security Committee Orders Civil Service Waze Ban
The federal government action formalizes a decision reached on October 20 during the third meeting of the National Cyber Security Committee (JKSN) for 2026. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim chaired the meeting directly, according to the Prime Minister’s Office confirmation.
Following the committee’s decision, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar issued a formal circular. The circular, dated October 20, instructed ministry secretaries-general, federal department heads, state secretaries, statutory body chiefs, and local council leaders to enforce the prohibition immediately across all public sector departments and subordinate agencies.
KERAJAAN ARAH HENTI GUNA APLIKASI NAVIGASI MILIK ISRAEL YAB Perdana Menteri, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim telah memutuskan supaya penggunaan aplikasi navigasi Waze dilarang dalam kalangan seluruh penjawat awam bagi melindungi maklumat Kerajaan dan data peribadi pengguna daripada… pic.twitter.com/33RgWz6GOk
Official communications from the Prime Minister’s Office emphasized that Waze Mobile Ltd. acts as the legal data controller for all user information gathered through the application. The company remains incorporated and subject to Israeli statutory frameworks.
The directive is designed to shield official logistics and personal travel records from state-level exploitation. Such exploitation could compromise national security and sovereign interests.
The government clarified that the Waze ban applies to civil servants only when performing official duties.Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the move aimed to protect sensitive government information and personal data from misuse by Israel. https://t.co/0AMTwSIfhx pic.twitter.com/WRpGFTra2l
Sensitive government information and the personal data of the people must be protected from being exploited by the Israeli regime in ways that could compromise national security and sovereignty.
Prime Minister’s Office, via Yahoo
Programmer Ehud Shabtai launched the platform in 2006 as a crowdsourced map project called FreeMap Israel. US technology giant Google subsequently acquired it in 2013 for approximately one billion US dollars.
An official inquiry to the National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) under the National Security Council was directed for any clarifications regarding the directive. Nacsa chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin confirmed the authenticity of the official circular.
Civil Society Backs Stand Against Israeli Tech Operations
The governmental stance aligns with Malaysia’s long-standing foreign policy of supporting the Palestinian cause while refusing to recognize Israel diplomatically.
Civil society organizations have voiced strong backing for the measure.
Cinta Gaza Malaysia chief executive officer Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamaruzaman asserted that the policy demonstrates the nation’s firm opposition against the oppression of the Palestinian people.
Kamaruzaman suggested that the approach should be broadened to encompass other commercial goods and services linked to Israel.
Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations of Malaysia president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid stated that the prohibition ought to be understood as an initiative to protect cybersecurity and strategic priorities. He added that digital technology must align with moral duties.
He noted that digital applications function beyond daily convenience by recording location data and movement patterns that carry national security implications.
E5: Govt bans civil servants from using WazeMalaysia has ordered civil servants to stop using Waze, citing security risks linked to the Israeli regime. More in our quick round-up of some today’s biggest stories on https://t.co/ynDEh0G5sA pic.twitter.com/P3kLwjPHEi
Hamid added that any strict data security standard applied to Waze should logically extend to all digital service providers irrespective of commercial origin.
Local Application TuJu Promoted as Domestic Navigation Choice
To replace foreign mapping tools, the administration is encouraging the public to migrate to domestic platforms such as TuJu. The Malaysian Highway Authority and Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd jointly developed this local mobility application.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi officially unveiled TuJu on November 26, 2025.
TuJu integrates real-time highway toll data, live traffic camera feeds, rest-and-service area locators, and on-demand highway emergency assistance alongside turn-by-turn directions.
However, reviews of the local alternative have highlighted usability hurdles and extensive data collection practices.
As SoyaCincau reported, a permission request screen upon logging into TuJu informs users that the app tracks location, motion, and usage behavior. It shares this information with a Malaysian government body for road user analysis and product enhancement.
Malaysia bans Waze for civil servants over Israeli links——Malaysia has banned civil servants from using Google-owned navigation app Waze over potential security concerns linked to its Israeli origins, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced Tuesday.Anwar said the government… pic.twitter.com/IJsUZWiFid
Exemptions under Section 3(1) of Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act 2010 mean the statute does not apply to Federal and State Governments or their agencies.
App store assessments noted various software challenges, including instances where directions failed to render properly or displayed raw code, alongside lower user satisfaction ratings at the time of review.
Alternative platforms suggested for motorists seeking mapping choices include HERE WeGo, Huawei's Petal Maps, and the Grab application featuring built-in mapping powered by GrabMaps.
Lawmakers Question Application Scope in Dewan Rakyat Debate
The restriction has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat during the Supply Bill 2027 debate.
Raub MP Chow Yu Hui questioned the logic of singling out Waze when it has been owned by American technology giant Google since 2013. He asked what the difference in data security risks is between Waze and Google Maps, given that both share the same parent company.
Chow also pointed to historical US surveillance of foreign leaders. He asked whether other popular American applications such as WhatsApp and Instagram should face similar scrutiny.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen raised parallel questions regarding whether other widely used applications controlled by foreign entities exposed the public to identical security risks.
PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden argued that if the application presented a genuine security threat, the restriction should apply nationwide rather than stopping at civil servants. He asserted that nobody should be allowed to use it if it is truly dangerous.