KUALA LUMPUR: The government has not ruled out imposing a nationwide ban on the Waze navigation application once suitable alternatives become available, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He said the government was assessing alternative navigation applications following its decision to bar civil servants from using Waze over national security concerns.
"I will not allow civil servants to use it under any circumstances. Waze is banned.
"We need to study the available alternatives. If we find that their capabilities are sufficiently developed, we may consider using the facilities available," he told reporters after attending Friday prayers at Masjid Al-Mustaqim in Taman Nirwana, Ampang, today.
Anwar said the government had acted after examining Waze's links to Israel and the legal jurisdiction governing its terms of use.
He said he had instructed officials to verify the information during a cybersecurity meeting earlier this week.
"When I received the information, we checked it. First, its headquarters is based in Israel.
"Second, under the agreement, if you use Waze and a problem arises, Israeli law applies," he said.
Anwar defended the speed of the decision, saying the government could not afford to compromise on national security.
On Wednesday, the government announced a ban on Waze among civil servants, citing concerns over the potential misuse of government information and users' personal data by the Israeli regime.
In a statement, 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.
The government also encouraged the use of locally developed navigation applications, including TuJu.
Waze has rejected allegations that it collects sensitive government information or allows third parties to exploit users' personal data.
A Waze spokesperson described the allegations as "completely untrue."
"Waze operates under strict privacy policies to protect user data and complies with global legal data protection standards," the spokesperson said.
The National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) has acknowledged that there is no evidence Waze has analysed users' movement patterns in the manner feared by the government, but maintained that the potential for such analysis remains a security risk.
The agency said location information, travel routes and other data collected over time could reveal users' movements and daily routines.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo also clarified in Parliament yesterday that the existing ban applies only to civil servants performing official duties and does not extend to the general public.
He said Malaysians remained free to use other navigation applications, including Google Maps.
Waze, which was developed in Israel, was acquired by Google in 2013.
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