TuJu app not working after Waze ban, LLM apologises as users surge

The TuJu navigation app suffered technical disruptions after its user numbers surged, the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) said today. The surge followed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's call for Malaysians to switch from Waze to TuJu. LLM apologised to users and said it is working to restore the system's stability.

This is the latest turn in the Waze story we reported this morning in Civil servants barred from using Waze, PM urges everyone to switch to TuJu. Here is what has happened since.

What LLM said

In a statement reported by Free Malaysia Today (FMT) and Malay Mail, LLM said it is working with the app's provider, Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd (PCSB), to:

• identify the root cause of the disruptions;
• restore system stability; and
• increase the app's capacity to handle more users.

LLM also said it is taking note of feedback on navigation functions, route accuracy and the overall user experience. "We understand user trust needs to be built through reliable service," it said, according to FMT.

FMT reported that complaints from TuJu users have surfaced on social media such as Threads. They cite unreliable route navigation, a lack of real-time incident data and bugs that affect the user experience. The reports we read do not give the cause of the disruption or say when it is expected to be fixed.

Why so many users moved

On 20 October, the National Cyber Security Committee met under Anwar's chairmanship. Chief Secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar then issued a circular barring all civil servants from using Waze, according to FMT and Malay Mail.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the decision took into account Waze Mobile Ltd's status as a data controller incorporated and operating under Israeli law. In the same statement, Anwar urged the public to switch to local apps such as TuJu. The ban applies only to civil servants; Waze has not been blocked for the public.

LLM and PCSB introduced TuJu on 26 November 2025. According to Malay Mail, it offers navigation, traffic information, real-time toll data, traffic camera feeds, a rest-and-service-area locator and on-demand highway emergency assistance.

Political reaction

Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng (DAP) called TuJu a "national embarrassment" in a statement today. He said whoever convinced Anwar that TuJu was technologically adequate should be held accountable, and that the Prime Minister had been "wrongly advised". Lim said Malaysians support replacing Waze over data security but not with an app that is "defective at best". He wants Anwar to go back to the drawing board and called for stringent testing before any replacement app is rolled out.

On 21 October, two MPs questioned the ban while debating Budget 2027. Chow Yu Hui (PH-Raub) asked whether it covers personal phones and use outside working hours, and why US-owned apps such as Google Maps, WhatsApp and Instagram are not also banned. Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PAS-Alor Setar) said that if Waze is a real threat, it should be blocked for everyone, not just civil servants.

What it means for you

• Civil servants: the Waze ban applies immediately across ministries, departments, statutory bodies and local authorities. The circular, as reported, does not say whether personal phones are covered; MPs are still asking.
• Everyone else: there is no ban. Anwar urged a switch; he did not order one. If TuJu is not stable for you yet, nothing requires you to stop using another navigation app.
• TuJu users: feedback and complaints can be sent to feedback@prosignalconsortium.my, according to Malay Mail.

What happens next

LLM said it will keep working with the Works Ministry, the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) and other parties to strengthen the local navigation ecosystem, including security and data governance. Watch for a recovery timeline for TuJu and for the government's answer to MPs on the scope of the ban. Data sovereignty also came up in Public data barred from training AI models in government contracts, says Gobind.

Sources

• Free Malaysia Today, LLM apologises for TuJu app disruption, 22 October 2026
• Free Malaysia Today, Pengguna meningkat ketara, TuJu alami gangguan, 22 October 2026
• Malay Mail, LLM, PCSB apologise for Tuju disruption, say actively restoring and upgrading app after user complaints, 22 October 2026
• Malay Mail, Lim Guan Eng calls Tuju a 'national embarrassment,' says responsible parties must be held accountable, 22 October 2026
• Malay Mail, PMO confirms civil servants barred from using Waze over Israel data security risks, 21 October 2026
• Free Malaysia Today, MPs want govt to explain Waze ban on civil servants, 21 October 2026