Waze ban, Anwar apologises, Waze denies the data claims and what applies to you

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has apologised if the Waze ban inconveniences the public, while Waze has rejected the government's claims that user data could be misused. The ban still binds only civil servants on duty, but Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government wants everyone to avoid Waze and is free to choose any other navigation app.

We reported Civil servants barred from using Waze, PM urges everyone to switch to TuJu on 22 October and the replacement app's disruption in TuJu app not working after Waze ban, LLM apologises as users surge. This is what changed on 23 October.

Anwar apologises but holds the line

In a Facebook post, Anwar said: "I apologise if the decision to ban this navigation application, which belongs to the Israeli regime, causes inconvenience to the public. However, the security of the nation and its people cannot be compromised," Bernama reported.

Speaking to reporters after Friday prayers, he said the government could consider a complete ban if local capabilities prove good enough, but alternatives must be studied first. He described the decision as spontaneous and not deliberated by the Cabinet beforehand, according to Malay Mail. Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported him saying the issue had been explained at a Cabinet meeting, with Gobind Singh Deo and Loke Siew Fook agreeing. DAP Youth had earlier asked for a review, saying there is no public evidence that the app threatens national security.

Waze: the claims are "completely false"

A Waze spokesperson told AFP: "Claims that Waze collects sensitive government information or allows any entity to exploit personal user data are completely false." The company said it operates under strict privacy policies and complies with global data protection standards.

Fahmi, at his post-Cabinet press conference, cited two concerns raised by the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA): data collected and processed through the app is transferred to Israel, and any legal dispute can only be handled in Israeli courts. Malaysia does not recognise Israel and has no diplomatic relations with it, he said.

What applies to you

• Civil servants: barred from using Waze while on official duty. The National Security Council warned that those who defy the ban could face disciplinary action, and NACSA encouraged them to uninstall Waze. Gobind told the Dewan Rakyat the ban covers official duties only.
• Everyone else: no legal ban. Fahmi said Malaysians may use any navigation app other than Waze, local or foreign, and the government is not steering everyone to one app. Anwar said a complete ban would only be considered later.
• TuJu users: the provider, Prosignal Consortium, apologised and targets restoring navigation functions by 6 November at the latest, FMT and Bernama reported. Other functions work as normal. Anwar urged users to be patient and said they can use other apps.

Questions still open

Technology lawyer Foong Cheng Leong told FMT that TuJu's privacy policy says location data is collected and shared with mapping providers, and that the government should disclose where data is stored and who can access it. M Selvakumar, who heads USM's cybersecurity research centre, said that if TuJu is said to be safer, the government should prove it by stating what tests were done. Foong also said the government was right to take precautions, because Waze Mobile Ltd is subject to Israeli law.

Former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan asked why the Israel link is being raised now when it has long been known, and said the government needs a long-term plan to reduce reliance on foreign technology. Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) asked the government to disclose TuJu's cost, tender process and who approved it. BDS Malaysia backed the ban and urged the public to boycott Waze.

What happens next

Chief Secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar has been asked to chair a meeting of ministry secretaries-general to review navigation app use, the explanations from the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and Prosignal, and a TuJu improvement plan with clear targets and timelines. The 6 November date is the first benchmark for TuJu. No decision has been made on a complete ban.

Sources

• Malay Mail, Fahmi says Malaysians can use any navigation app except Waze, including overseas alternatives, 23 October 2026
• Malay Mail, Anwar apologises over Waze ban linked to Israel, says national security comes first, 23 October 2026
• Malay Mail, 'Completely false': Waze rejects Malaysia's data security claims after civil servant ban, 23 October 2026
• Malay Mail, Anwar says Waze ban was spontaneous decision over Israeli links, 23 October 2026
• Free Malaysia Today, Govt may ban Waze entirely, says Anwar, 23 October 2026
• Free Malaysia Today, TuJu's glitches to be fixed within 2 weeks, says provider, 23 October 2026
• Free Malaysia Today, Experts want proof TuJu is safer than Waze, 24 October 2026
• Free Malaysia Today, Why only now, Shahril asks on timing of Waze ban for civil servants, 23 October 2026
• Malay Mail, BDS Malaysia backs civil service Waze ban, urges public boycott of navigation app, 23 October 2026