TuJu goes offline a day after being promoted as Waze alternative

KUALA LUMPUR: The TuJu navigation app is undergoing system upgrades, temporarily disrupting its navigation function just a day after the government encouraged Malaysians to switch from Waze to the locally developed alternative.

The Malaysian Highway Authority's (MHA) Traffic Management Centre announced the disruption in a notice posted on its official X account.

"The TuJu application is undergoing system improvements to provide a better travel experience.

"During this period, the navigation function will be temporarily disrupted, while CCTV viewing and other available functions can still be used as usual," it said.

The notice did not specify when the navigation function would be fully restored.

The announcement comes after the government banned civil servants from using Waze while on official duty, citing concerns over data security and the application's links to Israel.

The directive, which took immediate effect, followed a decision made at the National Cyber Security Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Oct 20.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar later instructed ministry secretaries-general and department heads to ensure the directive was communicated to civil servants under their supervision.

The National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) later clarified that the restriction applied to civil servants performing official duties.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's Department encouraged Malaysians to stop using Waze and consider locally developed alternatives, including TuJu.

The government cited concerns that information on users' movements and personal data could be exposed to security risks because Waze operates under Israeli law.

TuJu was developed through a collaboration between MHA and Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd. The application offers route navigation, estimated arrival times, toll information, traffic updates and access to live highway CCTV feeds.

It also provides information on rest and service areas and emergency assistance.