FROM haze to Waze. Social media has been abuzz with wordplay following the government’s announcement that civil servants would be barred from using navigation app Waze, and encouraged to switch to the locally developed TuJu. Beyond the ban raises a more important question: how much control does Malaysia have over the technology it relies on? A country aspiring to be a major digital economy cannot afford to be overly dependent on foreign technology, particularly when essential services, sensitive data and national interests may be at stake. Digital independence should, therefore, be a strategic priority and not merely a slogan invoked whenever a foreign platform becomes controversial. This doesn’t mean foreign technology is inherently unsafe, nor that Malaysia must develop every digital service from scratch. But over-dependence on external providers can leave the country vulnerable to decisions, policies and geopolitical developments beyond its control.