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By Mihar Dias November 2026
There are moments when Malaysian ingenuity leaves me speechless. Not because we have invented something extraordinary, but because we have discovered an entirely new way of redefining failure as innovation.
Tuan-tuan dan Puan-puan, allow me to introduce the latest technological breakthrough in Malaysian navigation: Tuju, the homegrown application that has finally solved its navigation problems by sending its users to Google Maps.
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
Why spend millions developing a navigation system when you can simply ask someone else to do the navigating?
This must surely qualify as one of the most economical technological breakthroughs of the century. We have taken the concept of outsourcing to an entirely new level. We no longer outsource accounting, security or customer service. We outsource the very reason for our existence.
Tuju's slogan is apparently “Nak Pergi Mana? Tuju Je.”
Except that if you actually want to go somewhere, Tuju now tells you to use Google Maps. https://soyacincau.com/2026/11/02/tuju-fixes-navigation-problem-android-google-maps/
I wonder who came up with this masterstroke. Was there a boardroom meeting? Did someone present a PowerPoint slide explaining the strategic advantages of allowing a competing application to perform the one function customers expect from your own product?
Perhaps the presentation went something like this:
“Our navigation system is not working.”
“Can we fix it?”
“Not immediately.”
“What do we do?”
“Send them to Google.”
“Excellent! Problem solved. Next item on the agenda.”
And just like that, a Malaysian navigation application has discovered the ultimate shortcut to technological competence.
According to SoyaCincau's report on November 2, the latest Android version, 2.0.4, released on October 30, redirects users to Google Maps when they press the navigation button. This comes after Tuju's turn-by-turn navigation attracted criticism for vague instructions, inaccurate routing and other shortcomings. The navigation function had been temporarily disabled, with restoration previously promised by November 6. https://soyacincau.com/2026/11/02/tuju-fixes-navigation-problem-android-google-maps/
Now, instead of telling motorists to keep straight, merge or take an exit without providing much useful context, Tuju has decided to let Google do the thinking.
At least Google knows where it is going.
The irony is almost too good to ignore. The government had encouraged Malaysians to consider locally developed alternatives to Waze, citing concerns about national security, data sovereignty and the handling of location information.
Civil servants were told not to use Waze for official duties. Malaysians were encouraged to embrace homegrown technology.
And what do we get?
A Malaysian application that redirects us to Google Maps, another foreign technology platform.
So much for digital sovereignty!
I am not suggesting that Tuju should be able to compete with Google overnight. Developing a reliable navigation system is technically demanding. It requires accurate mapping, dependable positioning, real-time traffic information, route optimisation, continuous testing and considerable investment.
Nobody expects a local developer to produce a technological miracle on demand.
But surely, before inviting the public to embrace a national alternative, somebody should have established whether the product could actually perform its advertised function.
Imagine launching a Malaysian-made calculator that cannot add two numbers, only to announce that users can now press a button to open Microsoft's calculator.
Or a local word processor that cannot spell-check, but helpfully redirects users to Microsoft Word.
Or a Malaysian-made aeroplane that takes passengers halfway to their destination before announcing that they should transfer to Singapore Airlines.
We would probably call it a successful public-private partnership.
To be fair, Tuju does have other useful features. It offers highway-related information, toll rates, CCTV feeds, rest-stop locations and emergency assistance contacts. These services have value and should not be dismissed merely because its navigation has stumbled.
But there is a difference between being a useful highway companion and being promoted as an alternative navigation solution.
The bigger issue is not whether Tuju can borrow Google's navigation capabilities. It is whether we have developed a culture in which announcing a technological achievement has become more important than demonstrating that the technology works.
We seem to have mastered the art of launching first and troubleshooting later.
There is a familiar Malaysian habit of confusing aspiration with accomplishment. We announce grand ambitions, organise impressive launches, invite dignitaries, deliver speeches about national pride and technological independence, and then discover that the product still needs a little work.
Sometimes a lot of work.
Perhaps we should introduce a new national KPI for technological projects: Does it work before we tell everyone it works?
And perhaps another one: Can it stand on its own two feet without asking a foreign competitor for directions?
I wish Tuju well. I genuinely hope its developers will eventually produce a dependable Malaysian navigation platform. There is nothing wrong with wanting our own technology, and there is certainly nothing wrong with trying.
But patriotism should not require motorists to sacrifice their safety, patience or common sense.
If Google Maps is doing the navigating, let us at least acknowledge who deserves the credit.
For now, the most accurate navigation instruction Tuju can offer might be:
“Nak pergi mana? Tekan Google Maps.”
And if anyone asks whether we have achieved technological independence, I suggest we ask Google.
It probably knows the answer.
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.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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