Govt wants Waze to explain handling of Malaysians’ data

Govt wants Waze to explain handling of Malaysians’ data

PETALING JAYA: The government is seeking clarity from Waze on how the navigation app collects and handles Malaysians’ personal data, amid national security and privacy concerns.

Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the Israeli-developed app needs to explain how it manages personal information, citing concerns over possible data leaks and the sale of stolen information on the dark web.

“We are not certain how Malaysians’ personal data could be obtained in such a manner, resulting in data leaks and irresponsible parties profiting from its sale on the dark web.

“But I hope Waze will provide an explanation. You have to explain,” he told a press conference on Friday (Oct 23).

Fahmi said the Personal Data Protection Department, under the Digital Ministry, could also be consulted on aspects of the matter that might require further investigation.

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However, he stressed that any action would be subject to the relevant legal processes.

Explaining the government’s decision to restrict civil servants from using Waze, Fahmi said the National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) raised two main concerns.

He said the concerns, which were subsequently brought to the National Security Council and the National Cyber Security Committee, involved the collection and processing of user data in Israel, as well as the app’s legal jurisdiction.

“The issue raised involves the collection and processing of data associated with the application, which is brought to Israel. That is a major concern.

“Secondly, any legal dispute can only be handled through courts in Israel,” he said.

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Fahmi said this posed difficulties for Malaysia, which neither recognises Israel nor maintains diplomatic relations with the country.

He added that the situation highlighted the need for caution when sharing personal information with foreign technology platforms.

On further action following the National Cyber Security Committee’s decision, Fahmi said the government was awaiting an official extract of the meeting minutes before proceeding.

“Since the committee has made its decision, we need an extract of the meeting minutes for further action. We are waiting for that process,” he said.

He added that subsequent steps would depend on the receipt of the minutes and the relevant instructions.