KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has banned civil servants from using Google-owned navigation app Waze after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim raised concerns about its Israeli origins and potential data security risks.
Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, strongly supports the Palestinian cause and does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
On Tuesday, Anwar said the government was examining security risks linked to Waze. He claimed the app was “bound to Israeli laws.”
“We cannot compromise on the security of people’s data and identities,” Anwar wrote on Facebook after chairing a meeting of the National Cybersecurity Committee.
However, the prime minister did not specify the risks. He instead recommended TuJu, a domestic mapping app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority, as an alternative.
Ban Takes Immediate Effect
Malaysia’s Chief Secretary to the Government, Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, announced the ban in a letter dated Tuesday. He addressed the letter to the heads of government agencies.
According to the letter, reviewed by Reuters, the directive followed a decision made at Anwar’s meeting. The prohibition took effect immediately.
An official from the Prime Minister’s Department also confirmed the letter’s authenticity.
Waze’s Israeli Origins
Waze was founded in Israel. The app uses satellite signals and crowd-sourced information from drivers to provide real-time traffic updates and navigation assistance.
Alphabet-owned Google acquired Waze in 2013 for approximately $1 billion.
The Malaysian government has not publicly explained how Waze could expose civil servants’ data or identities. It has also not provided specific evidence of the security risks behind the decision.
