PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's decision to bar civil servants from using the Waze navigation system is aimed at protecting government information and users' personal data from misuse by the Israeli regime, says the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
It said the Prime Minister made the decision when considering Waze Mobile Ltd’s position as the controller of user data, as it is incorporated and operated under Israeli law.
"Sensitive government information and the rakyat’s personal data must be protected against use by the Israeli regime in ways that could compromise the country's safety and sovereignty," the PMO said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 21).
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It said Anwar also urged all Malaysians to stop using Waze and transition to local alternatives such as TuJu, taking into consideration the security assurances and personal data protection offered.
"The Madani administration stands firm and we will close any route that can be exploited by the Israeli regime to threaten the country and rakyat’s safety," the statement read.
Earlier on Wednesday, a new circular issued by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar directed civil servants to stop using Waze immediately.
Dated Tuesday (Oct 20), the circular stated that the decision followed the National Cyber Security Committee meeting chaired by Anwar on the same day.
All ministry secretaries-general and heads of department must ensure the decision is communicated to all officers under their supervision, including those in their respective agencies and departments, for immediate implementation.
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The circular stated that any enquiries or requests for clarification on the directive should be highlighted to the National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) under the National Security Council in the Prime Minister’s Department, which is responsible for coordinating the matter.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Anwar said the meeting had looked into information security risks and the potential exposure of data on the public's movements through Waze, given that it is subject to Israeli government laws, he added.
The Prime Minister encouraged the use of TuJu, a local navigation app developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority, as an alternative.
