Just as the troubles of COVID-19 began to brew, and the nation went into partial lockdown, you may have curiously noticed an additional voice navigation option in Bahasa Malaysia on your Waze app, “Bahasa Malaysia – Yasmin”. That’s not just any ordinary Yasmin – it’s the voice of none other than multi-talented entertainment personality Dato’ Yasmin Yusuff.
From offering turn-by-turn navigation directions, to safety tips such as reminding drivers to strap on their seat belts and to slow down at the sign of the red lights, Yasmin does it with absolute class. She also throws in light-hearted utterances such as “alamak, miss!” for when you’ve missed the exit and “lubang lagi” a relatable grouse for when a pothole is ahead, to turn that frown upside down.
Click the link to play the recording
Yasmin in the studio recording safety tips and alerts for Waze
“I tend to get frustrated with the mispronunciation of our street names and thought – why not do something and voice them myself? As I happen to be a professional voiceover artist, and also the original voice of the LRT, I thought it would be fun to do Waze too! All it took was for me to offer my voice in the Waze Malaysia Facebook group, and before I knew it, I was contacted, did an audition tape, and voila – I’m the Bahasa voice of Waze!” Yasmin shared.
“I only did turn-by-turn instructions this time, but maybe one day I can do the street names too,” she added.
The former Miss Universe Malaysia is no stranger to voice-overs throughout her illustrious career in entertainment, which also includes being a radio presenter for Radio 4, crooning several songs in the late 70s to early 80s, acting in TV dramas and movies, talent managing, and producing several musicals to name a few. Her richly sweet yet authoritative voice could be heard over dozens of radio and TV ads over the years, and now thanks to her determination to improve the pronunciation of local street names, we get to hear her voice again.
Get Yasmin to show you the way
Want to have Yasmin navigate your journey? Follow these steps to change your Waze navigation voice:
- Tap the Menu
, then Settings
- Tap Voice & Sound
- Tap Waze voice
- Select “Bahasa Malaysia – Yasmin” from the list available under Voice directions
Yasmin’s voice is one of the only two options available for voice navigations in Bahasa Malaysia.
Record your own Waze voice!
Fancy being your own guide? Why not try recording your own voice to get through traffic. Simply follow these directions:
- Tap the Menu
, then Settings
- Tap Voice & Sound
- Tap Waze voice
- Tap Record new voice
- Tap on the type of direction you’d like to record; tap the record icon
to start recording and stop
when you’ve finished recording. To check your recording, tap the play icon
- Once finished recording, tap Done to give your voice a name and finish by tapping Add
Safety first
Users are encouraged to use the app as it is intended, by docking the phone and leveraging the hands-free functionality during their entire route for an undistracted drive. Waze would also like to remind all users to continue to observe COVID-19 SOPs so that we can beat this pandemic together. With voice by your side, may your journeys no matter the distance be that much more pleasant, especially in these challenging times. Download the app on your phone and test it out for yourself!
