Malaysia has banned all government employees from using Waze, the Israeli-developed navigation app, over alleged fears that Israel could exploit government information and personal data, according to a report by Reuters. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ordered the move as part of measures to protect the country’s information.
1+In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, the ban is intended to protect government information and user privacy from what was described as a threat from Israel. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Ibrahim and was communicated to heads of government agencies through an official letter sent yesterday.
Malaysia’s prime minister addressed the issue yesterday in a Facebook post, claiming the government is examining potential security risks stemming from the use of Waze, which he said is subject to Israeli law. He also recommended using TuJu, a local navigation app developed by Malaysia’s highway authority.
1+According to the report, Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar announced that all civil servants are now prohibited from using Waze. A letter sent to heads of government bodies clarified that the directive takes effect immediately.