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Malaysia Bans Civil Servants From Using Waze Over Israeli Links
Malaysia has banned its civil servants from using the navigation application Waze, citing security and privacy concerns stemming from the app's Israeli origins. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the decision following a national cybersecurity committee meeting, stating that the government cannot compromise on the security of citizens' data and identities.
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What happened
- 01Malaysia banned its civil servants from using the navigation app Waze due to security concerns over its Israeli origins.
- 02Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that the government cannot compromise on the security of citizens' data and identities.
- 03The Prime Minister cited concerns that Waze is bound to Israeli laws, though he did not detail specific security risks.
- 04The government recommended that employees switch to TuJu, a local mapping application developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority.
- 05Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar formalized the immediate ban in a directive to agency heads.
- 06Malaysia does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel and is a supporter of the Palestinian cause.
According to the Prime Minister, the application is bound to Israeli laws, which poses potential risks to national security. While Ibrahim did not detail the specific security risks, he recommended that civil servants switch to TuJu, a local mapping application developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority.
The ban was formalized in a directive issued by the Chief Secretary to the Government, Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, which ordered all heads of government agencies to enforce the restriction immediately. Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation, does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Haaretz English. Read Haaretz English’s originalThe coverage
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