LANGKAWI, March 31 (NNN- Bernama) — The 2019 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA’19) Exhibition, which concludes today, has successfully promoted and highlighted Malaysia’s capabilities in producing world-class aerospace and maritime products to global players.
In fact, LIMA’19 has revealed record-breaking numbers over the combined trade visitors totalling 42,030 from 63 countries, involving 406 exhibitors comprising local and international defence-related companies.
It has also recorded the attendance of 240,000 public visitors on Friday and Saturday.
These figures exceeded the achievement of the 2017 edition of LIMA, which recorded 40,000 trade visitors from 38 countries, 550 exhibitors and international companies, and 140,000 public visitors.
Commenting this success, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said LIMA`19 had not only drawn huge participation in its events since it kicked off last Tuesday but had also managed to draw thousands of visitors, who had the opportunity to witness various shows during the exhibition.
“In addition, there were business deals (signed) which can contribute to the economic growth of Malaysia,” he said and hoped that Langkawi would continue to host the biennial event and benefit the people of the island resort.
It was reported that in total, RM4 billion worth of business deals — consisting of procurement contracts, memorandum of understandings, letter of intent and letter of acceptance, were signed during LIMA’19 compared to RM3.8 billion signed in the previous edition of the exhibition.
The premier cum Langkawi MP also described this year’s edition of LIMA as the best ever and the success story would continue and that the nation “will benefit greatly from this exhibition”.
Dr Mahathir launched the first edition of LIMA 28 years ago, in 1991, and the biennial exhibition has developed into the leading maritime and aerospace exhibition in the Asia Pacific region, gathering major countries of foreign exhibitors referred to as the world superpowers – Russia, United Kingdom, United States and China.
LIMA`19, the 15th edition of this exhibition, is jointly organised by EN Projects (M) Sdn Bhd, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Transport with the theme ‘Defence and Commercial Connecting Intelligence.
LIMA’19 also received a royal visit from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, as well from the Sultan of Kedah Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah and the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
Following the immense success of the 2019 LIMA exhibition, Defence Ministry plans to make the next one even bigger in terms of local and foreign participation.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said cyber technology and aerospace were among the important components that would be focussed on in the next edition of LIMA in order to enhance local industry and to highlight Malaysia’s capabilities in producing world-class aerospace and maritime products.
— BERNAMA
