KUALA LUMPUR – Public servants caught using navigation app Waze face immediate disciplinary action under a high-level government directive aimed at plugging critical data leaks to the Israeli regime.
National Security Council (NSC) Director-General Datuk Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin confirmed that department heads have been ordered to actively enforce the immediate ban, issued via an official circular by Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
“The directive takes effect immediately. Any breach of a directive issued by the KSN carries direct disciplinary implications,” Raja Nushirwan told a national security briefing here today.
“Civil servants must stop using Waze right now to prevent external parties from exploiting movement data.”
The crackdown comes on the heels of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement yesterday banning Waze across all public sector operations.
The decision targets Waze Mobile Ltd’s status as a data controller operating directly under Israeli jurisdiction—posing severe exposure risks to sensitive government locations and personal user data.
Phased public strategy: Local tech takes priority
Addressing potential public restrictions, Raja Nushirwan disclosed that the government is opting for a phased, education-led strategy for the general population to balance national security with personal choice.
An immediate nationwide blanket ban for all citizens was ruled out for now to avoid disrupting the country’s tech ecosystem and software development sector.
“We must balance security concerns with individual freedoms and freedom of choice. Rather than an outright ban, we are educating the public on the risks and urging Malaysians to proactively uninstall Waze,” he said, encouraging a shift toward local navigation platforms like TuJu, developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM).
The government will continuously monitor compliance and data exposure before determining if harsher public restrictions are required. – October 22, 2026