SHAH ALAM – The Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM) has backed the government’s decision to ban the use of the Waze navigation application among public servants, while urging authorities to provide a transparent explanation of the security concerns and policy considerations behind the move.
MAPIM president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said the decision should be examined within a broader framework aimed at strengthening national cybersecurity, protecting Malaysia’s strategic interests and reviewing the use of digital technology in the public service.
He said digital applications were no longer merely tools for everyday convenience, as they could involve the collection of location data, tracking of users’ movement patterns and information processing that could have implications for individuals, organisations and national security.
According to media reports, the ban took immediate effect following a decision by the National Cyber Security Committee (JKSN) at its third meeting of 2026, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
An official notification on the decision was subsequently issued by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Mohd Azmi said Malaysia needed a clear, consistent and risk-based digital sovereignty policy, particularly for applications used by public servants with access to sensitive information or involvement in strategic government operations.
He said the government should explain the security assessment that led to the Waze ban to ensure the decision was understood as an evidence-based measure to protect national interests rather than a symbolic move without a comprehensive digital security framework.
MAPIM also cautioned that a company’s country of origin alone did not prove that its products transmitted information to a particular government or compromised national security.
Such allegations, he said, must be supported by verifiable evidence, while corporate ownership, strategic relationships and applicable legal jurisdictions should be considered in any credible risk assessment.
On Malaysia’s position regarding Palestine, Mohd Azmi said the country’s solidarity with the Palestinian people should be translated into reasonable and consistent institutional policies.
He said support for Palestine should extend beyond speeches, resolutions and diplomatic condemnations to include a careful review of economic, technological, trade, investment and strategic cooperation involving parties implicated in the oppression of Palestinians.
However, he stressed that every action must be based on sound evidence, clearly defined objectives, effective implementation mechanisms and compliance with the law, while safeguarding the people’s interests.
MAPIM therefore urged the government to clarify whether the Waze ban was primarily driven by cybersecurity assessments, corporate ownership considerations, Malaysia’s policy commitments on Palestine or a combination of these factors.
The organisation also called on the government to extend its security review to all digital applications and platforms used in official public service operations, including communications, cloud storage, artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics.
Mohd Azmi said transparent guidelines should be established to determine which applications were permitted, what categories of data could be shared, whether personal devices could be used for official business and what safeguards public servants must observe.
He stressed that if data security was the main reason for prohibiting Waze, the same principles should apply to all digital service providers regardless of their country of origin, brand or commercial interests.
MAPIM further urged the government to reduce Malaysia’s dependence on foreign technology by strengthening research, development and deployment of local navigation, mapping and data management technologies.
Collaboration between government agencies, universities, researchers and local technology companies should be expanded to develop secure, efficient and practical alternatives, he said.
However, any alternative application must be assessed based on navigation accuracy, privacy protection, cybersecurity, reliability and technical capabilities to ensure the transition does not undermine public service efficiency or introduce new risks.
MAPIM outlined five demands to the government: an official explanation of the technical and security grounds for the Waze ban; a comprehensive digital risk audit; consistent standards for evaluating applications; secure and practical alternatives; and stronger domestic technological capabilities.
Mohd Azmi said national security, the protection of citizens’ data and Malaysia’s moral position on Palestine must be taken seriously in shaping the country’s digital policies.
“If the prohibition is based on a sound risk assessment, MAPIM supports the government’s efforts to safeguard the nation’s strategic interests.
“However, this measure must form part of a broader, transparent and consistent policy framework rather than remain an isolated decision without further reforms,” he said.
He added that Malaysia must move towards genuine digital sovereignty by developing the capacity to independently assess technologies, protect citizens’ data and build competitive alternatives in the public interest. – DETIK MALAYSIA
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