KUALA LUMPUR: The government explained its decision to ban Waze among civil servants to DAP representatives during today's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
The explanation comes amid calls from the DAP Youth wing for the government to review the directive and provide clearer justification for the move.
Anwar said the government had briefed ministers on the reasons behind the ban, which he maintained was necessary to protect national security.
"I explained it to all the ministers earlier," he told reporters after attending Friday prayers at Masjid Al-Mustaqim in Taman Nirwana, Ampang, today.
He said the government had verified concerns over Waze's links to Israel and the legal jurisdiction governing the navigation application's terms of use before imposing the ban.
Anwar said the matter had been examined during a cybersecurity meeting earlier this week, adding that the findings prompted him to act immediately.
He rejected suggestions that the government had rushed into the decision without conducting the necessary checks.
"Some people said we should have been patient and checked first. I said it had already been confirmed.
"When it was confirmed, there could be no compromise. This concerns national security," he said.
Anwar also reiterated that civil servants would not be allowed to use Waze, despite complaints over the limitations of alternative navigation applications.
He acknowledged that the locally developed TuJu application had shortcomings but said other alternatives could be considered while improvements were made.
Yesterday, the DAP youth wing urged the government to review the Waze ban, arguing that the public had not been presented with sufficient evidence that the application had compromised Malaysia's national security or misused users' data.
In a statement, the youth wing questioned the justification for imposing a blanket restriction, warning that the move could undermine public confidence.
"While DAPSY acknowledges the importance of strengthening cybersecurity, we question the rationale and justification of officials who proposed this blanket ban.
"Rather than reassuring the public, such a sweeping decision risks generating further questions and undermining public trust," it said.
The youth wing suggested that the government introduce targeted safeguards for officials handling confidential information or performing sensitive duties, including military personnel, intelligence officers and senior security officials.
It also raised concerns over the government's recommendation to use TuJu, citing complaints about the application's technical shortcomings.
It called for a more pragmatic and transparent approach to cybersecurity, stressing that national security measures should be supported by evidence and take public feedback into account.
On Wednesday, the government announced the ban on Waze among civil servants, citing concerns over the potential misuse of government information and users' personal data by the Israeli regime.
The Prime Minister's Office said the decision took into account Waze Mobile Ltd's status as a data controller incorporated and operating under Israeli law.
Waze has denied allegations that it collects sensitive government information or allows third parties to exploit users' personal data.
The company maintained that it operates under strict privacy policies and complies with applicable data protection standards.
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