NATIONAL Security director-general Datuk Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin (pic) has urged Malaysians to uninstall Waze over concerns that location data collected through the navigation app could be misused and pose risks to personal and national security.
Although the government’s restriction applies only to civil servants using Waze for official duties, Nushirwan said location data could potentially expose users’ movements beyond working hours, extending the risks to the public at large.
“If we give data to people we do not trust, including in this context an entity owned by a country we do not recognise and which may have intentions that threaten national security, I urge all Malaysians to uninstall Waze and stop using it altogether,” he said at a media briefing on current national security issues.
He said the government had stopped short of imposing a blanket ban to balance security concerns with fundamental rights, freedom of expression and individual choice.
The government would provide information to help people make their own decisions, he said, adding that users should consider the implications of allowing their data to be transferred to Israel and disputes to be handled by Israeli courts.
National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin said Malaysia recorded 6.3 million Waze users in 2019, making it the application’s fifth-largest user base globally and third-largest in ASEAN at the time.
However, NACSA did not have detailed information on how much Malaysian user data might already have been obtained, he said.
The agency had also received several product names for assessment, including Israeli-origin cyber security products, with its evaluation focusing more closely on products subject to Israeli law. One product had been confirmed and verified, while reviews of other products would continue, he added.
Meanwhile, locally developed navigation application TuJu has surpassed 700,000 downloads as users increasingly consider alternatives to Waze and Google Maps.
Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) deputy director-general (operations) Mohammed Ridzuan Jahidin said TuJu had been ready for use since November last year, with improvements continuing, particularly to its navigation functions.
The application offers live closed-circuit television feeds to help users check traffic conditions on selected highways, as well as an emergency SOS button that sends reports to the relevant highway concessionaire for follow-up action.
LLM operations and maintenance director Mohd Shahrir Amin Ahmad said the second version of TuJu had been released for Android devices, while the iOS version was expected by the end of October after testing.
Planned additions include electric vehicle-related features, points of interest, saved frequent destinations and a function to help users locate where they parked their vehicles. - October 22, 2026