Former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan said the government needed to demonstrate a genuine commitment to technological sovereignty rather than sensationalise the issue of Waze’s use in Malaysia. (File pic)PETALING JAYA: Former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan has questioned the timing of the government's move to ban the use of Waze among civil servants, saying the navigation app's links to Israel have been known for years.
While acknowledging national security concerns surrounding the app, Shahril questioned why concerns over Waze were only being raised now and whether the government had a serious long-term strategy to reduce Malaysia's reliance on foreign technology.
“If we have known for years that Waze is registered in Israel and continues to operate from there, and this is not something we only discovered two or three months ago, why is it only an issue now?” he asked in the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast.
