Undang, pro-govt rep among figures linked to TuJu developer

Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd, the private company behind the TuJu navigation app, has come under scrutiny after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged motorists to switch from Waze to the locally developed alternative.

The government’s national security concerns over Waze have instead drawn criticism of TuJu’s performance and raised questions about its developer, ownership, links to former public officials, and how it secured the project.

One of Prosignal’s directors is Selat Klang assemblyperson Abdul Rashid Asari, who chaired the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) when it entered into a collaboration with the company in May 2022.

Rashid has acknowledged proposing the navigation app project to MHA’s board and subsequently inviting Prosignal to develop it without an open tender.

So, who owns Prosignal, and how did it become involved in developing TuJu?

Who owns Prosignal?

Companies Commission records obtained by Malaysiakini showed that Prosignal was incorporated on Aug 17, 2021, about nine months before its collaboration with MHA was formalised.

Its registered business activities include utility mapping and management, construction and facilities maintenance, and the supply of goods and services to government agencies and the private sector.

Based at Skypark @ Cyberjaya, the company has RM2 million in share capital held by three parties.

Edzreen Din is the largest shareholder, with RM1.3 million in shares, or 65 percent of the company. Kintan Bersama Sdn Bhd holds RM600,000 (30 percent), while Manan Amir holds RM100,000 (five percent).

Edzreen is Prosignal’s deputy chairperson and managing director, while Manan is listed as an executive director.

Under the tagline “empowering business through technology”, Prosignal describes itself as a technology and infrastructure solutions provider specialising in areas such as software development, data management, and mobile applications.

Its website also lists Rashid as an executive director and former inspector-general of police, Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, as a non-executive director.

Prosignal previously listed Muhammed Abdullah, one of Negeri Sembilan’s territorial chiefs, or undangs, embroiled in the state’s royal dispute, as its group executive chairperson, and Bashah A Aziz as a non-executive director.

However, Malaysiakini found that their names no longer appeared on the company’s website.

Malaysiakini has contacted Prosignal and Muhammed’s office for comment.

No open tender

Rashid, who chaired MHA from June 2020 to August 2022, denied any political element in the collaboration, saying the idea for a locally developed navigation app originated with him.

The former Bersatu member said he proposed the project to MHA’s board as part of efforts to digitalise the authority’s operations and generate additional revenue.

He acknowledged that no open tender was called, saying the board approved his proposal before he invited Prosignal to undertake the project.

“This has nothing to do with politics. The idea came from me. I brought it to the MHA board of directors, and they agreed to it.

“Only after the board of directors signed off did I invite Prosignal to execute this project, because it is an IT company,” he told Malaysiakini.

Rashid also maintained that Prosignal developed the app using its own funds.

However, the date he joined Prosignal’s board remains unclear. Public records reviewed by Malaysiakini do not establish whether he held a directorship, shareholding, or other financial interest in the company when the agreement was signed in May 2022.

The circumstances surrounding the company’s selection, including whether other procurement or approval requirements applied, also remain to be clarified.

Rashid is serving his second term as the Selat Klang assemblyperson, having won the seat on a Bersatu ticket in 2018 and retaining it under Perikatan Nasional in 2023.

Bersatu said he ceased to be a member after attending a Pakatan Harapan campaign event in Kuala Kubu Baharu in May 2024. He has also backed Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, a Harapan leader, in the state legislative assembly.

Collaboration began in 2022

An announcement on MHA’s official website confirms that the authority signed a memorandum of understanding with Prosignal on May 26, 2022, to develop a Smart Highway-based highway management system.

The collaboration formed part of MHA’s 2021-2025 Strategic Business Plan, which aimed to strengthen digitalisation in highway operations and construction monitoring.

Under the proposed partnership, Prosignal would develop a smartphone application for highway operations and an asset management system covering highway design, construction, and maintenance.

Rashid represented MHA at the signing ceremony, while Prosignal was represented by its then-managing director, Azrul Fauzi Baharon. Edzreen, then the company’s executive chairperson, witnessed the signing.

In his speech at the ceremony, Rashid outlined plans for an app offering real-time highway traffic information, alongside features such as an e-wallet and carpooling services.

The agreement marked the beginning of a collaboration that eventually produced TuJu, which was publicly launched in November 2025.

However, questions remain about the partnership’s commercial terms, including ownership of the resulting technology, revenue-sharing arrangements, and any financial commitments by MHA.

Malaysiakini has contacted Prosignal and MHA for clarification on these matters, the circumstances of Prosignal’s selection, Rashid’s appointment to its board, and whether he held any business interests in the company when the agreement was signed.

TuJu thrust into spotlight

TuJu has attracted renewed attention after Anwar urged Malaysians to use the local app instead of Waze, citing concerns over the security of users’ personal information and movement data.

Following a National Cyber Security Committee meeting on Oct 20, Anwar said the government’s concerns stemmed from Waze’s links to Israel and the potential implications for national data security.

The government subsequently barred civil servants from using Waze and encouraged the public to consider TuJu as an alternative.

The move drew criticism of TuJu’s readiness to replace the more established navigation platform.

During Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman said she had downloaded TuJu but found its performance disappointing.

She also cited similar complaints from members of the public who felt the app was not ready for widespread use.

In response to questions about the restriction, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo clarified that civil servants were not required to use TuJu exclusively and could use other navigation apps apart from Waze.

The controversy has therefore put the spotlight not only on TuJu’s technical capabilities but also on the company behind its development and the circumstances of its partnership with MHA.

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