Malaysia is abuzz with the sudden Waze ban in this country
2/10
Dark humor
Nearly a week ago, Malaysian commuters woke up one morning in morbid shock, at the sudden ban on the Waze App by the government, and until today many Malaysians are still utterly confused and lingering in a daze, but not because of the current haze. The outright ban concerns all Malaysian civil servants who has to switch to different Apps to commute daily from their homes to their offices, and many are frustrated with the Tuju app that was recommended by the government to replace the superior Waze app. Malaysia may also completely ban Waze if alternative navigation apps are available, says PM Anwar. Such is the seriousness of the situation affecting the citizens of this country.
A frustrating Tuju experience
Although it is currently affecting only the Civil Servants, Malaysians from all walks of life, are not taking any chances to fall onto the wrong side of the law, and are studying their available options to comply once the ban goes nationwide. With close to a million downloads for the TuJu app as the other alternative, Malaysians who decided to give Tuju a try has found the experience highly frustrating. From poor turn-by-turn navigation to confusing instructions and questionable usability, and commenting that the app has serious shortcomings that could potentially become a road safety hazard.
Tuju also lacks live traffic data and speed limit warnings which are critical feature drivers need to ensure that they are on the fastest route and encountering broken turn information where Tuju displayed raw HTML code instead of proper navigation instructions. Others claim it does not have Android Auto and Car Play support. It also lacks reliable directions, missing CCTV feeds, search problems, lack of GPS and completely freezes midway.
Others are questioning if they will be stopped by Police or compounded if they are caught illegally using the Waze app, although the ban is currently in place for all government servants only, others are still worried of using it, as they are unsure if the ban is all encompassing for all Malaysians.
National Security Council warning
National Security Council reiterates call for Malaysians to uninstall Waze according to the NST: Malaysians are discouraged from using the Waze navigation app to reduce the risk of exposing their location, movement and activity data, while civil servants are encouraged to uninstall the app from their personal devices, as the Waze app can still collect data even when not in use.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also recommended Tuju, a navigation app developed by Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd for the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), as an alternative to Waze.
But in comparison, Waze allows users to navigate without creating an account while TuJu App requires you to sign in.
Tuju was rated 2.5 out of 5 stars on the Google Play Store and 2.6 out of 5 stars on the Apple App Store which sounds very unappealing to Malaysians who are used to high standards. Even a Malaysian MP has condemned the App as a ‘national embarrassment” while DAP national publicity secretary Yeo Bee Yin has cautioned the federal government against rushing into a blanket nationwide ban on the Waze navigation application, warning that a sudden prohibition would disrupt daily commutes, logistics, and gig-economy livelihoods for more than six million active Malaysian motorists. But all is not lost as the Tuju navigation App has promised to restore functionality by 6thNovember 2026 according to them.
Venting their frustrations
With over 800 thousand downloads, many commuters are up in arms, venting their frustrations on social media, commenting that the app failed to locate their home address, or the Penang Bridge and other landmarks, and sometimes the app just draws a straight line from their start to their destinations as if their cars were also flying machines. Some disenchanted commuters sought to rename it TuLan instead of Tuju, like the famous Chinese movie, Mulan. Other frustrated users have ridiculed the App to be named La Pan if Tu Ju fails to perform. But it seems that another frustrated Malaysian has already developed the Lapan Navigational App in a matter of days
Beware of danger for continued Waze users
Meanwhile Malaysians should take caution that continuous use of Waze may become a hazard as their daily movement continues to be recorded by an Israeli database. Imagine, a scenario like this: if you are anti supporter of Israel, a social influencer who regularly condemns Israeli policies or just a commentator that shows your hate of Israel’s hegemony. You may be targeted easily by jealous Mossad’s assassins who can easily trace your movements.
Your data may be on sale to the highest bidder and if you are an Israeli supporter, or a supporter of the heathen West you may land up as a target of extermination by terrorists who may buy this information from the Israeli database. So, in order to play safe, and stop giving out your personal data to a country that the Malaysian government doesn’t trust, we should instead stick to a Malaysian App that doesn’t collect or release your personal info to a blood thirsty Mossad Agent.
Prepare for an alternative lifestyle without Waze
If they decide to ban Google Maps too, since it is part of the parent company of Waze App, Malaysians may be forced to return to the age of navigating without a Navigation App just like in the good old days, where Malaysians get lost every other day and turn up in a god forsaken Village or tin mine when they get off the beaten path. But this is the price you pay for National Security and keeping your privacy from pesky countries like Israel who wants to conquer your freedom.
Moreover, TuJu was never meant to rival Waze, Malaysian Highway Authority chairman Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad has said. His clarification comes after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged Malaysian civil servants to switch to the local app over security concerns linked to Waze’s Israeli ties. “It is not a navigation application like Waze,” Hasni, who is also Simpang Renggam MP, told Malaysiakini in an interview published today.
He said TuJu was conceived as an added service for tolled highway users, offering traffic updates, rest area details, enforcement camera locations and emergency contacts, stressing that its real value, Hasni said, lies when the vehicle breaks down.
Therefore, Malaysians must be patient and not ridicule Tuju but give it a few more years or a decade or so, to develop into a wonder App that can rival Waze without having to sacrifice national security. Meanwhile, treat it as fate, that Tuju will govern our mundane lives and the satisfaction that our lives and our privacy will be protected from the prying eyes of Israel until kingdom come.
Sammy Chin (sammy@envomarine.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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