PETALING JAYA: MCA Youth has called on the government to explain its decision to select Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd to co-develop a navigation app, following its decision to ban civil servants from using Waze over security concerns.
In a statement, the wing’s information chief, Neow Choo Seong, wondered if an open tender was conducted or if the company was appointed through another procurement mechanism.
He also questioned the criteria, technical qualifications and evaluation processes used to determine if the company was suitable to undertake the project.
Neow said the government must also state how much public money was set aside to develop TuJu.
“These questions deserve clear and substantive answers, particularly when public resources and government agencies are involved.”
Neow said while the party acknowledged the government’s concerns over Waze, the administration’s “seemingly aggressive promotion” of TuJu raised questions about the government’s priorities, transparency and justification for endorsing this particular platform.
He went on to say that social media users had also raised concerns about TuJu’s navigation performance and overall user experience, with some describing the app as confusing and inaccurate, among others.
He said TuJu appeared to lack several features that drivers have come to expect from established navigation platforms, including speed limit alerts, as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility.
Such shortcomings raised legitimate concerns about the app’s readiness, functionality and competitiveness as a practical alternative to Waze, Neow said.
“Was the app subjected to comprehensive testing and an independent technical evaluation before the government endorsed it?
“Was its accuracy, reliability, safety features and compatibility with modern vehicles adequately assessed?” he said, adding that public confidence in a government-promoted app depends on demonstrable performance and quality, rather than promotional efforts alone.
Yesterday, it was reported that the government had banned civil servants from using Waze, which was developed in Israel.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim cited concerns over Waze’s personal data security and information on users’ movements, given that the navigation app is subject to Israeli government laws.
Anwar later encouraged Malaysians to consider using TuJu, a local navigation app co-developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority.