KUALA LUMPUR: A government backbencher has expressed disappointment with local navigation app TuJu, questioning whether it was ready to serve as an alternative to Waze.
Young Syefura Othman (PH-Bentong) said she had downloaded the app but found its performance unsatisfactory, while members of the public had also raised concerns about its shortcomings.
She raised the matter in the Dewan Rakyat today after the government announced a ban on civil servants using Waze for official duties.
"I have downloaded the TuJu application myself, but it is actually quite disappointing.
"We have also seen responses from members of the public saying that the application is not yet fully developed for use at this time," she said.
She asked the Digital Ministry whether local applications were sufficiently developed to replace established navigation platforms such as Waze.
In response, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo acknowledged that TuJu's services needed to be improved.
He said the application, developed with the Malaysian Highway Authority under the Works Ministry, was initially designed to provide information on highway traffic conditions, toll plazas, rest and service areas, and CCTV footage.
Its services were now being expanded to include traffic conditions on roads leading to highways, he said.
Gobind added that the government, through its GovTech initiatives, would explore cooperation with relevant parties to improve TuJu and other local applications.
He also clarified that the restriction on Waze did not apply to all Malaysians, but only to civil servants, as defined under the Federal Constitution, when carrying out official duties.
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