Anwar says Waze limit for civil servants weighs security and sovereignty, not a blanket ban
Malaysia's PM cites the risk of officers' movements being monitored and the app's link to an Israel-headquartered company, per Bernama.
Malaysia is weighing national security and sovereignty as it considers limiting how civil servants use the Waze navigation app, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, according to Bernama.
Anwar, who chairs Pakatan Harapan (PH), said the aim was not a blanket ban on Waze. Instead, the move reflects the risk of government officers' movements being monitored, especially those who handle national security matters.
Company link and legal questions
Anwar gave two reasons for the issue being raised. The first is that it is not only about the app itself, but its connection with a company headquartered in Israel. The second is legal jurisdiction if a dispute arises with the company. He said agreements involving international companies can raise questions about which courts have the authority to resolve disputes.
Any further decision on a blanket ban would be made only after assessing whether existing alternatives have enough capability, he said. Acknowledging that TuJu, the local navigation app, still has shortcomings that must be fixed, he said he had registered the criticism from the public over how well it performs.
Anwar said the earlier decision was not necessarily the most perfect one and that there is room for improvement. He said security and national interests cannot be left to external parties without a risk assessment, and that the government will study any better alternative.
Any steps taken must not weaken Malaysia's position on what Israel is doing, nor harm the nation's interests, he said, stressing the government's duty to ensure this. As a sovereign nation, Malaysia has the right to decide its own position, including on Palestine, he said.
Petrol price and Melaka candidates
Despite global crude oil prices climbing sharply, Anwar said that, regarding living costs, RON95 petrol would stay at RM1.99 per litre under the MADANI Government for as long as it holds the mandate to govern. He said the government chose to absorb the higher costs so the public, particularly low- and middle-income groups, would not carry the extra burden. "It is better for the government to bear the burden than to burden the people," he said.
At Stadium Hang Jebat in Melaka, he spoke during the event that unveiled the candidates and launched the PH election machinery for Melaka. The 21 people who will carry the PH banner in the Melaka state election, set for Nov 14, were named by Anwar.
