Following widespread public discussions and technical hiccups surrounding the government-recommended local navigation app TuJu, which was introduced as an alternative to Waze for civil servants, Malaysian motorists have been looking for reliable homegrown solutions.
Enter Lapan, a brand-new, lightweight web-based navigation tool created by local developer Alan Chung. In a Facebook post introducing the project, Alan revealed that the app runs directly through mobile web browsers without requiring any app downloads or registration.
Built in three days using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, Alan shared the technical backstory behind how the project came together.
“The initial prototype took about three days to build, followed by ongoing improvements based on real driving tests and user feedback,” Alan told WORLD OF BUZZ.
Running entirely on JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, Lapan combines open mapping tools with traffic-aware navigation services to keep the user experience lightweight and straightforward. While artificial intelligence helped speed up the initial development phase, Alan emphasised that careful testing and sound engineering decisions issues remain essential.
The app supports both 2D and 3D map views and is completely free to use without requiring user sign-ups.
Key features: Built-in toll estimation & 3D navigation
Despite being a browser-based tool, Lapan already packs practical features tailored specifically for local drivers.
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PLUS Toll Estimator: The app includes a dedicated toll estimation feature (such as the PLUS toll estimate tool), allowing drivers to select specific plazas and check estimated toll costs along their planned route.
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Turn-by-Turn Navigation: Offers clear route options, estimated travel times, distance calculations, and voice guidance.
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3D Map View: Drivers can seamlessly toggle between standard 2D overview maps and a 3D perspective during navigation.
Overwhelmed by community response and open-source vision
Since launching the project online, Alan told WORLD OF BUZZ that the overwhelming wave of public attention took him completely by surprise.
“Honestly, I’m still in shock at the amount of attention Lapan has received from the community and how enthusiastic everyone has been in responding to the project.
“The support, feedback, and interest have been far beyond what I initially expected.” he said.
Analytics viewable on the app in ‘Lapan in numbers’ reveal just how rapidly interest in Lapan has spiked. Since launching on October 25, 2026, the website has recorded nearly 10,000 total page visits (9,965 visits) in just three days! Daily traffic peaked on October 26 with a massive 5,272 visits, followed by 3,872 visits on October 27.
To encourage collaboration and improve location accuracy, Alan has published the app’s source code on GitHub. He noted that community feedback has already highlighted practical areas for improvement, such as missing locations and destination search resolutions.
“I published the source on GitHub because I welcome collaboration, particularly around Malaysian place coverage, search quality, and navigation reliability,” he explained.
What’s next for Lapan?
While drivers are eager to test out new local alternatives, Alan said that he remains realistic about the app’s current stage and limitations. He follows the KISS principle (Keep It Super Simple) in software design, ensuring the app remains lightweight and focused on practical problem-solving without unnecessary complexity.
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Search and Coverage: His immediate priority is making core navigation more reliable for Malaysian businesses and addresses, including exploring a second search provider to improve mapping coverage alongside the existing map-pin selection.
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Current Limitations: While toll estimates and plaza selections are integrated, full automatic route-wide toll calculation across all highways and offline navigation are not yet implemented.
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An Evolving Project: Lapan remains an evolving personal project built to understand how people use it, with the steady goal of providing a useful tool shaped by community feedback.
Have you tried testing out Lapan or other local navigation alternatives yet? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
Also read: Never Heard of TuJu? Here’s What M’sian Drivers Should Know About Our Local Navigation App
