Local Navigation Alternatives Emerge As TuJu Faces Outages

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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim encouraged Malaysians to consider the locally developed TuJu highway navigation app instead of Waze after chairing the third meeting of the National Cyber Security Committee on 20 October. The discussion focused on data security risks and digital sovereignty, given that Waze originated in Israel and remains subject to Israeli laws in certain respects even after Google acquired it.

Officials raised potential concerns over the tracking of citizens’ movement data, and Anwar stated that the government cannot compromise on the security of the people’s data and identities. Civil servants were separately instructed to stop using Waze with immediate effect.

The app subsequently recorded more than 700,000 downloads, after which navigation functions experienced disruptions under the increased load. Routes became unreliable for some users and instructions glitched, prompting the Malaysian Highway Authority and developer Prosignal Consortium to apologise while stating they were working to restore stability and raise capacity. In short, the local option received a sudden national endorsement and then had to explain why it could not handle the attention.

TuJu provides highway-focused tools including live CCTV feeds, toll information, R&R facilities and an SOS button, with Version 2.0 on Android adding EV charger locations and accident alerts. It remains primarily oriented toward highway use rather than comprehensive everyday navigation across all road types.

1. Pintaz

Pintaz is a free Malaysian-built navigation app with no advertisements that shows exact toll prices before departure, gives voice alerts for AES and JPJ cameras, supports community reports of roadblocks and hazards, and offers lane guidance plus a motorcycle mode with Malay and English voice guidance available. The National Cyber Security Agency has listed it as a local alternative. Compared with Waze it has fewer active users and less real-time crowd-sourced traffic density, but it focuses on Malaysian-specific data such as local tolls and cameras and does not rely on foreign ownership. It is the option that quietly continued working while the recommended app did not.

2. Google Maps

Google Maps remains the most widely used alternative for city driving, public transport and multi-modal trips, providing reliable turn-by-turn guidance, offline map downloads and business information. Compared with Waze it has less frequent user-generated alerts for roadblocks or police but offers broader coverage, better offline support and more consistent performance under heavy load. It is owned by the same company that owns Waze, which may or may not address the original concern.

3. HERE WeGo

HERE WeGo supports full offline navigation after maps are downloaded and works for long-distance and rural routes while providing basic traffic information and route options. Compared with Waze it has fewer live community reports and less real-time incident density in Malaysian cities, but it does not require constant internet and avoids the same data jurisdiction concerns raised about Waze. It is the practical choice when mobile data is unreliable.

4. Apple Maps and GrabMaps

Apple Maps works for many iPhone users with turn-by-turn directions and some traffic data, while GrabMaps is available inside the Grab app for drivers who already use the service. Compared with Waze both have less active user reporting for local hazards and lower coverage of highway-specific alerts, but they function as immediate backups without requiring a new app download for existing users. They are the options already sitting on most phones.

The stated aim was to promote a local option on data grounds, though the outage showed the system was not prepared for the volume of sudden adoption.