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Anwar Orders Civil Servants Off Waze, Use TuJu

By Drooid · Oct 21, 2026, 4:26 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Anwar Ibrahim Bans Waze

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ordered civil servants to stop using Waze.
The ban began after a 20 October 2026 circular signed by Chief Secretary Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Officials said Waze’s Israeli ownership and legal exposure threaten Malaysian location-data security.
National Cyber Security Committee (NACSA) will coordinate the ban and handle queries.
Civil servants must uninstall Waze and use TuJu, an app by the Highway Authority and Prosignal launched 26 November 2025.

Summary

Munira Mustaffa Flags Spyware

Cybersecurity expert Munira Mustaffa linked Israeli-linked ad spyware findings to heightened Malaysian concerns over Waze.
TuJu users report frequent crashes, inaccurate speed readings and missing infotainment support since its rollout.
Malaysian Armed Forces chief Raja Mohamed Affandi warned in August 2016 that Pokemon Go could expose military sites, prompting restrictions.
Farlina Said of ISI Malaysia said uncertainty over data processing locations fuels distrust of location-based apps.

History

Historical Context

In August 2016 Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein ordered the Malaysian Armed Forces to block Pokémon Go, warning that about 12 percent of civilian smartphones could map military sites. The move built on a 2000 defence-policy review and the post-1997 modernisation drive that expanded ATM’s surveillance capacity. Today Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim cites that precedent as Malaysia tightens data-sovereignty, prompting broader bans on foreign navigation apps.

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Anwar Ibrahim Bans Waze

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ordered civil servants to stop using Waze.
The ban began after a 20 October 2026 circular signed by Chief Secretary Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Officials said Waze’s Israeli ownership and legal exposure threaten Malaysian location-data security.
National Cyber Security Committee (NACSA) will coordinate the ban and handle queries.
Civil servants must uninstall Waze and use TuJu, an app by the Highway Authority and Prosignal launched 26 November 2025.

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