KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has apologised for any inconvenience caused by the government's ban on Waze among civil servants, but maintained that national security must take precedence over convenience.
He acknowledged that the decision had drawn criticism, with some questioning why the government had acted so quickly.
However, Anwar said the risks identified by the government were serious enough to warrant immediate action.
"I know I have been criticised and condemned for being hasty.
"If this causes some inconvenience, I apologise. But to me, national security is more important," he told reporters after attending Friday prayers at Masjid Al-Mustaqim in Taman Nirwana, Ampang, today.
He said he had ordered checks into Waze's operations and legal arrangements, which he said confirmed that the navigation application was linked to Israel and that its terms were governed by Israeli law.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, said he understood complaints about the limitations of locally developed navigation applications, including TuJu.
He maintained that the inconvenience was a price worth paying to protect sensitive information.
"It is better to be safe than to hand over confidential state information, your personal information and the country's information to Israel.
"That is what matters to us," he said.
He also urged Malaysians to understand the government's position, particularly given Malaysia's strong opposition to Israel.
Anwar said the government would continue examining alternative navigation applications while improvements were made to existing local options.
On Wednesday, the government announced a ban on the use of 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 said the move was necessary to prevent potential threats to national security and protect sensitive information.
Waze has denied allegations that it collects sensitive government information or allows third parties to exploit users' personal data.
The company described the allegations as untrue and maintained that it operates under strict privacy policies and complies with applicable data protection standards.
The government has also encouraged the use of locally developed navigation applications, including TuJu, developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA).
However, TuJu has faced complaints over technical shortcomings, prompting the MHA to announce improvements to its navigation function.
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