Malaysia may ban Waze entirely, but local alternatives must be ready first – PM Anwar

Malaysian motorists could face a wider ban on Waze, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim saying the government will assess local navigation apps before deciding whether to stop its use entirely.

According to FMT, the possibility depends on whether alternatives can adequately meet users’ needs. No blanket ban was announced in his remarks.

Existing restriction covers official duties

The proposal follows an earlier instruction prohibiting civil servants from using Waze while on official duty.

Anwar cited concerns about government information and personal data, arguing that national security takes priority. Waze has denied collecting sensitive government information or allowing others to exploit users’ personal data.

TuJu suggested, but users report problems

Anwar has encouraged motorists to consider TuJu, developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority and Prosignal Consortium.

However, users have reported unreliable routing, limited real-time incident information and software bugs. Those complaints make the government’s assessment of alternatives particularly relevant for everyday drivers.

DAP Youth has called for the restriction to be reviewed, citing a lack of publicly available evidence of a national security threat. Anwar said the government’s position had been discussed in Cabinet and supported by ministers Gobind Singh Deo and Loke Siew Fook.