Anwar Says a Nationwide Waze Ban Is Possible Once Local Alternatives Are Ready

The government's move against Waze may not stop with the civil service. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday, 23 October 2026, that a nationwide ban on the navigation app has not been ruled out once suitable alternatives are available, the New Straits Times and The Star reported.

For now, the restriction applies only to civil servants, and ministers have been at pains to say ordinary Malaysians can keep using whichever app they like.

What has been decided so far

Here is where things stand, based on official statements reported this week:

• Civil servants: barred from using Waze for official duties with immediate effect, following a decision by the National Cyber Security Committee chaired by the Prime Minister. A breach of the directive can lead to disciplinary action.
• The reason given: the Prime Minister's Office said Waze Mobile Ltd is a data controller incorporated and operating under Israeli law, raising concerns about how government information and users' personal data could be used.
• Other apps are fine: Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo told Parliament that civil servants are not limited to the local TuJu app and can use alternatives such as Google Maps.
• The public: not covered by the ban, though the National Security Council has encouraged people to consider uninstalling Waze and switching to local or other navigation apps.

Anwar: no compromise for civil servants

Speaking to reporters after Friday prayers in Ampang, Anwar said the government was studying alternative navigation apps and could consider wider measures if their capabilities were good enough.

"I will not allow civil servants to use it under any circumstances. Waze is banned." (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as quoted by the New Straits Times)

Anwar also apologised for any inconvenience the ban has caused, saying national security had to come first, according to the NST.

Notably, the National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) has acknowledged there is no evidence Waze has analysed users' movement patterns in the way the government fears, but maintains that the potential for such analysis is itself a security risk, the NST reported.

A push for local apps

The government has been promoting TuJu, a navigation app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) with Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd, which was launched last November. Ministers have acknowledged it still needs improvement, and Transport Minister Anthony Loke has encouraged local developers to build navigation apps using the ministry's open public transport data.

What this means for Malaysian readers

If you are a civil servant, Waze should already be off your work phone. Everyone else can keep using it for now, but it would be sensible to get familiar with an alternative in case the rules widen. Businesses that run deliveries, field sales or service teams should check which navigation apps their staff rely on, especially if they work with government agencies, and avoid building processes around a single app. The bigger lesson is about data: any app that tracks location can reveal routines and movements, so it is worth reviewing app permissions on company phones and choosing tools whose data terms you actually understand. For local developers, the government's call for homegrown alternatives could open real opportunities.

Sources: New Straits Times, "Govt may ban Waze entirely once suitable alternatives are available, says Anwar", The Star and Malay Mail, 22 to 23 October 2026. Rewritten in our own words.