Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has encouraged Malaysians to use the locally developed TuJu highway navigation app instead of Waze, citing concerns over the security of public movement data. In a statement, he claimed that Waze is bound by Israeli government laws, raising potential information and data security risks associated with the app’s tracking of public movements.
The matter was discussed during the National Cyber Security Committee (JKSN) meeting yesterday, which reviewed the country’s cyber threats and preparedness. However, Anwar did not elaborate on the specific risks identified or provide further details about Waze’s alleged legal ties to the Israeli government.
Waze And Israeli Ties?
Developed in Israel, Waze is now owned by Google, which acquired the service in 2013 for nearly US$1 billion. The app relies heavily on crowdsourced information, allowing drivers to report traffic congestion, accidents and other road incidents in real time, which it then uses to suggest alternative routes.
Depending on users’ settings, Waze’s privacy policy allows it to collect information such as their locations, routes, destinations, search histories and device details. When aggregated over time, this data could reveal movement patterns and traffic trends, potentially raising security concerns. However, there have been no publicly reported cases of this information being misused for such purposes.
Iraq Plans To Ban Waze By The End Of 2026
Malaysia is not the only country raising concerns about Waze’s Israeli origins. According to Al Jazeera, Iraq plans to block the navigation app by the end of December 2026, after Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad announced the move earlier this month.
Sanad cited the app’s Israeli origins as the reason for the ban, while Iraq’s broader political and legal stance towards Israel also provides context for the decision. The country passed a law in 2022 criminalising diplomatic, political, military, economic and cultural ties with Israel, with penalties including life imprisonment and the death penalty. However, Sanad has not specifically stated that the planned Waze ban is being imposed under this law.
What Is TuJu?
As its name suggests, TuJu is a Malaysian highway navigation app developed by LLM in collaboration with Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd. The name itself is derived from the Malay word tuju, which means “towards” or “heading towards” a destination.
First introduced in November 2025, the app offers navigation features similar to those found in Waze and Google Maps, including route information, travel distances and estimated arrival times. TuJu also provides several highway-specific features, including the ability for users to check the total toll charges for their journeys, locate toll plazas, as well as find information about rest stops (R&R) and nearby petrol stations, including available facilities.
The app also provides access to highway CCTV snapshots for checking traffic conditions, alongside traffic updates and options for reporting road incidents. It is available for download through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Government Reviewing Cybersecurity Measures
The National Cyber Security Committee meeting also covered several cybersecurity priorities, including the implementation of the Cyber Security Act 2024, the security of MyDigital ID, and the protection of National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII). Anwar said the government is preparing for potential threats posed by quantum computers through post-quantum cryptography (PQC), while also addressing emerging risks associated with autonomous artificial intelligence.
He added that the government is strengthening the country’s integrated identity ecosystem, with MyKad serving as the physical credential and MyDigital ID supporting digital transactions. These efforts are aimed at safeguarding citizens’ personal information and identities as more public services move online.
Separately, the government is also considering extending electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) and age verification requirements to online gaming platforms. Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said yesterday that the proposal aims to improve child safety and prevent such platforms from being misused by extremist, radical, and terrorist groups.
(Source: Anwar Ibrahim, via Facebook / Al Jazeera / Wikipedia)
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