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Alor Setar MP Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden has asked why the Waze restriction applies only to civil servants if the app poses a security risk.

The PAS MP, who is also PAS Youth chief, said the ban should cover everyone in the country.

He raised the matter in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (21 October) during the Budget 2027 debate.

“If Waze is dangerous, then do not allow it in Malaysia,” he said.

Civil Servants Barred From Waze

His remarks came a day after the government directed civil servants to stop using Waze for immediate implementation.

In a letter dated 20 October, Chief Secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said the decision was made at a National Cybersecurity Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The letter told heads of departments and secretaries-general to inform their staff for immediate implementation.

The National Cyber Security Agency under the National Security Council is the coordinating agency.

Anwar cited concerns over the security of Malaysians’ personal information and movement data, noting that Waze is subject to Israeli laws.

Waze was acquired by Google in 2013 and remains headquartered in Israel.

Anwar has also urged Malaysians to consider TuJu, a local navigation app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority.

Questions In Parliament

Afnan said the government should explain why Waze remains accessible to the public if it is considered dangerous enough to be prohibited within the civil service.

He called it a “digital threat that is affecting us without us even realising it.”

Raub MP Chow Yu Hui (PH) asked whether the ban covers personal phones and use outside work.

He also asked what the difference in data security risk is between Waze and Google Maps, as both are owned by Google.

Chow asked whether other apps, including Google Maps, Instagram and WhatsApp, would remain permitted.

Both MPs asked the government to explain the basis for the ban and its effectiveness.

Iraq’s Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad has said the country will ban Waze at the start of 2027, citing the company’s ties to Israel.

For now, the directive covers civil servants only.

READ MORE: Waze Off, TuJu On: PM Sends Motorists Down a Different Road Over Israeli Law Fears

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