Malaysia Limits Waze Use as Government Raises Security Concerns

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Navigation app Waze has rejected Malaysian government claims that its platform poses risks to users' personal data after authorities banned civil servants from using the application for official duties because of concerns linked to its Israeli origins and data jurisdiction.

Agence France-Presse reporter Isabelle Leong reported that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the restriction on Wednesday, saying it was intended to protect government information and personal data from potential misuse.

Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country with no diplomatic relations with Israel, has long been a vocal critic of the Israeli government.

Waze, which is owned by Google, was founded in Israel and remains incorporated there.

The company strongly denied the Malaysian government's allegations.

"Claims that Waze collects sensitive government information or allows any entity to exploit personal user data are completely false," a Waze spokesperson told AFP.

The company said it operates under strict privacy policies and complies with international legal standards for data protection.

Malaysia's Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo told parliament on Thursday that the prohibition applies specifically to civil servants using Waze while performing official duties.

He said the decision was based on data-security and legal concerns because user information falls under Israeli jurisdiction.

The Malaysian government has not provided further details explaining how it believes such data could be misused or how the ban will be enforced and monitored.

The National Security Council warned, however, that civil servants who fail to comply could face disciplinary action.

Anwar suggested that users consider alternatives such as TuJu, a locally developed Malaysian navigation application.

The recommendation has drawn criticism from some users.

Former finance minister and lawmaker Lim Guan Eng said many Malaysians had complained that TuJu was ineffective and should not be made a compulsory substitute for Waze.

The application remains widely used in Malaysia, including by drivers working through the Grab ride-hailing platform, particularly because of its real-time traffic information and route adjustments.

The Malaysian move comes as Iraq is also preparing to ban Waze.

Kurdistan24 reported on Oct. 6 that Iraqi Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad had moved the effective date of Iraq's planned prohibition forward to the end of December 2026 rather than the start of 2027.

Sanad did not provide further details on the reason for accelerating Iraq's timetable or how the measure would be implemented.

Read More: Iraq Brings Forward Waze Ban to December 2026

Waze relies heavily on user-generated reports about traffic, accidents, hazards and other road conditions, allowing the platform to recalculate routes in real time.

While Malaysia has presented its restriction as a data-security measure linked to official government use, Waze maintains that allegations concerning misuse of personal or government information are unfounded.