Consult experts before banning Waze, DAP’s Yeo urges govt
Former Malaysian minister Yeo Bee Yin has urged the government to consult with industry experts before banning the navigation app Waze over national security concerns. She suggests exploring data localization options instead of a total ban, which could disrupt the gig economy and daily commuters.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the tension between national security, data sovereignty, and the reliance on global digital infrastructure for local economic activity.
Former minister Yeo Bee Yin asked if Putrajaya has engaged Waze's US-based parent company to explore hosting Malaysian data on local servers instead of banning the app outright.
PETALING JAYA: Former minister Yeo Bee Yin has urged the government to consult industry experts and navigation technology specialists before moving to ban the use of popular navigation app Waze.
The DAP publicity secretary said such a policy decision must not be made in haste as it would affect six million Malaysian road users who depend on Waze, whether for their livelihoods, daily commutes or logistics.
Acknowledging concerns over the app's Israeli origins, Yeo questioned why nations under the Gulf Cooperation Council have yet to implement similar bans.
"Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar have not banned Waze. Yet these nations are located in immediate geographic proximity to the conflict and maintain strict national security protocols.
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