Klebang considered as alternative venue for LIMA

Klebang could offer Malaysia a more accessible setting for its major maritime and aerospace exhibition, but the proposal comes with a substantial price tag. Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the Melaka site has the strategic position and capacity needed to host LIMA, held every two years.

The coastal area lies close to Melaka International Airport in Batu Berendam and allows Royal Malaysian Navy vessels to berth. Those features, Khaled said, make Klebang a possible alternative to Langkawi. He also argued that holding the exhibition in Melaka could allow more Malaysians to attend.

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Not many people can go to Langkawi, but in Melaka the whole population can attend. So it is something we can explore.

“Not many people can go to Langkawi, but in Melaka the whole population can attend,” Khaled said. He described the idea as an option that could be explored, rather than a settled decision.

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The infrastructure for hosting LIMA would require substantial expenditure.

Melaka Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh said the proposal remains at an early stage. The state would need to examine its capacity and the infrastructure required before moving forward. “The infrastructure for hosting LIMA would require substantial expenditure,” he said, adding that Melaka’s strategic location must be weighed against what the state can afford.

Ab Rauf said the state could discuss the proposal with the federal government if hosting LIMA would benefit both Malaysia and Melaka. The comments came during a Civil-Military Cooperation Carnival at Dataran 1Malaysia Klebang, where the Defence Ministry displayed Malaysian Armed Forces assets from the navy, army and air force.

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If it truly benefits the federation and the state, why could we not implement it?