KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — The government has been asked to provide a detailed explanation of the rationale behind the ban on civil servants using the Waze navigation app, as well as the risk levels associated with other popular applications.
Raub MP Chow Yu Hui said the ban, driven by concerns that location data could be exposed to Israel, warranted clarification, particularly on how its security risks differed from those of other popular United States (US)-owned applications, such as WhatsApp and Instagram.
He said the US itself has a record of surveilling foreign leaders and openly supports Israel, and that the government should be transparent about the differences in risk levels considered in making the decision.
“The US has also been implicated in revelations about the surveillance of foreign leaders, including former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Moreover, the US government supports Israel.
“If Waze is banned on the grounds that its company is based in Israel, when Waze has been owned by Google since 2013, what is the difference in data security risks between Waze and Google Maps, which is owned by the same parent company?” he asked when debating the Supply (Budget) Bill 2027 at the policy stage in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen shared similar concerns, questioning the security of other apps commonly used by the public.
“It is said that Waze’s database is located in Israel, but many of the applications we use are also controlled by Jewish companies or individuals.
“So, are they also exposed to the same security risks? I am not disputing the possibility of security issues, but I believe a detailed explanation should be provided, because many people are now wondering why this decision was made, and whether they themselves are exposed to these risks,” he said.
Earlier, the government decided to prohibit all civil servants from using the Waze navigation app to protect government information and users’ personal data from misuse by the Israeli regime.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the decision took into account Waze Mobile Ltd's status as a user data controller, incorporated and operating under Israeli law.
The Dewan Rakyat sitting resumes tomorrow.
