Malaysia is considering shifting the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) to new locations to keep pace with rising competition from defence shows in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand [1, 2, 3]. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the current Langkawi site might soon be too small to handle the event’s growing size and needs upgraded facilities [1, 2, 3].
Klebang in Melaka is among the sites under review as a potential long-term venue for LIMA, but it requires substantial investment to develop adequate convention and exhibition infrastructure [1, 2, 3]. The Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur currently faces space limitations, especially for large defence vehicles and assets [1, 2, 3].
However, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad argued that LIMA should remain in Langkawi, citing its established international recognition. He said the existing facilities could be improved rather than using venue size as a reason to relocate the event [1, 2, 3].
Minister Mohamed Khaled emphasized that any move from Langkawi is a long-term consideration and not planned for immediate implementation [3]. The government aims to balance maintaining LIMA’s status while ensuring the exhibition can accommodate its expanding scale and regional competition.
The debate reflects differing views on how best to preserve the event's prestige and growth. The next steps will focus on assessing Klebang’s development potential and planning upgrades at Langkawi and other sites. Further announcements are expected as the government evaluates options to secure LIMA’s future.
