Malaysia PM Anwar warns against Israeli navigation app Waze over data security concerns
- On Tuesday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim advised citizens to use the locally developed navigation app TuJu instead of Waze, citing security risks regarding citizens' movement data and the app's subjection to Israeli government laws.
- Waze, which originated as FreeMap Israel and was acquired by Google for US$1 billion in 2013, remains subject to Israeli government laws; Malaysia does not formally recognize Israel, prompting Anwar's concerns over potential data monitoring.
- These warnings emerged during the 3rd meeting of the National Cyber Security Committee on Oct 20, where officials reviewed the Cyber Security Act, quantum computing threats, and protection of National Critical Information Infrastructure.
- "We cannot compromise on data and identity security," Anwar said, as the government reinforces its integrated identity system using MyKad for physical credentials and MyDigital ID for transactions.
- Iraq similarly plans to ban Waze by the beginning of 2027, citing comparable data security concerns and the app's Israeli origins, reflecting broader regional efforts to mitigate potential digital surveillance.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Malaysia may extend Waze ban to the public
Malaysia could extend its ban on the Waze maps app from civil servants to the whole country, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday. A full ban would come only after officials look at other apps, he said. Anwar spoke to reporters in Kuala Lumpur, according to Bernama, the national news agency. Officials will check if […] This story continues at The Next Web
Anwar says Malaysia's Waze ban needs careful study first
AMPANG — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today proposals for a nationwide ban on navigation app Waze required careful study, but did not rule out the possibility if capable local alternatives were available.“It must be studied what are the alternatives first, and if we find that local capabilities are good enough then we may consider prohibiting Waze altogether,” he told...
Channel News Asia
PressNewsAgencyMalaysia PM Anwar warns against Israeli navigation app Waze over data security concerns
Given concerns about the app being used to monitor Malaysian citizens' data, Anwar suggested they switch to using Tuju, an app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority.
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