KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged Malaysians to stop using Waze, the popular navigation app developed in Israel, citing data security concerns.

In a Facebook post published after chairing a meeting of the National Cyber Security Committee (JKSN), Anwar said the potential risk of the app being used to monitor Malaysian citizens’ data was discussed at the session. He noted that Waze is subject to Israeli government laws.

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Call to Switch to Local Alternative

Given these concerns and the associated data security risks, Anwar suggested that Malaysians switch to Tuju, an app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority, instead.

“We cannot compromise on data and identity security,” he said.

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Background on Waze

Launched in 2009, Waze began as an open-source project called FreeMap Israel. Google acquired the app in 2013 for US$1 billion.

Al Jazeera reported earlier this month that Iraq plans to block the use of Waze by the end of December this year, with its communications minister citing data security concerns and the app’s Israeli origins. Like many Arab and Muslim-majority countries, Iraq and Malaysia do not formally recognise Israel.

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Broader Cybersecurity Discussions

In his Facebook post, Anwar said JKSN met to review the development of cyber threats and strengthen Malaysia’s “digital preparedness and sovereignty.”

The meeting also addressed the security of MyDigital ID—Malaysia’s national digital identity verification platform—as well as emerging threats from autonomous artificial intelligence.

Anwar said the Malaysian government is strengthening its integrated identity system, with MyKad serving as a physical credential and MyDigital ID for digital transactions, supported by stronger cybersecurity measures.

“This effort is crucial to ensure that the digitalisation of public services continues to benefit the people, without neglecting the security, trust, and sovereignty of the nation.”