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Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : LANGKAWI
Tarikh/Date : 02/12/97
Tajuk/Title : THE OPENING OF THE LANGKAWI
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME AND
AEROSPACE EXHIBITION 1997
Asia-Pacific Region As The New Growth Centre:
Challenges and Opportunities For The Aerospace
and Maritime Industries'
1. I feel honoured and privileged to be here this morning
among the distinguished guests and exhibitors to the
Fourth Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace
Exhibition 1997 or LIMA `97. The presence of so many
distinguished personalities and the participation of a
record number of companies from the maritime and aerospace
industries of many countries bears testimony to the fact
that LIMA exhibition has gained international recognition
as an important biennial event in the aerospace industries
in the Asia-Pacific region. Malaysia is proud of this
recognition and with your continued support, LIMA
exhibition would continue to serve as a significant
platform to highlight Malaysia's role as a gateway to the
vast markets of the growing economies of countries in this
part of the world.
2. Since we started this exhibition in 1991, much
progress has been made in its quality and size, its
organisation and the provision of related infrastructural
facilities. This year the exhibition hall is three times
bigger than 1995 and has become the biggest exhibition
hall in Malaysia. The Langkawi airport runway has been
extended to take the biggest aircraft. In addition the
maritime section has a new deep-water anchorage and jetty
as well as the biggest exhibition covered space. There is
a bigger participation in terms of naval as well as
leisure crafts, while some 230 companies are participating
and exhibiting their products. With two conferences on
maritime and aerospace matters, LIMA's role in promoting
the aerospace and maritime industries and the marketing of
products in this booming region has been greatly enhanced.
Exhibitors know that their business have benefitted
greatly from their participation in LIMA in the past.
3. Most exhibitors and trade visitors know that Malaysia
is strategically located and our infrastructural
facilities are well developed. We can certainly become
the gateway to the region. For a maritime and aerospace
exhibition Langkawi is ideal as it is not too busy, is not
in a built-up area and endowed with many natural
attributes including deep anchorage and a salubrious
climate. There is time and space for almost unlimited
aerial displays.
4. In the last few months a number of South-East Asian
countries have been facing two major problems, the first
being the environmental problem due to the haze and the
second, the depreciation of their currencies. The haze
has now cleared,and does not constitute a hazard to flying
anymore. The devaluation of the currencies of the
countries of the region has resulted in a reduction in
purchasing power. But everyone is convinced that the
region's resilience will make the present problem
temporary.
5. Malaysia is perhaps more fortunate as it has very
strong fundamentals. We have put in place the necessary
reforms and strategies to facilitate recovery. Our
trading partners have a vested interest in Malaysia's and
the region's recovery. We buy a huge amount of capital
goods and products, including of course aircrafts and
ships, in order to meet the needs of our industries,
freight and passenger transports and more and more those
of the growing leisure industry. The devaluation of the
currencies of the region will make us even more
competitive and we expect our earnings to increase and our
balance of payment to go into surplus. One way or another
the spending capacity will return and will grow. We were
poor countries before but we have been able to develop
ourselves. We should be able to do it again now.
6. In the last decade, the Asia Pacific region has
emerged as the fastest growing area measured in terms of
economic performance and world trade. This growth will
return strongly. With almost two billion diligent and
skilful people in North East and South East Asia, their
needs even at the time of recovery will be huge. With the
expected recovery it will be bigger than ever.
7. We have no ambition to make the 21st century the
Asian Century. Malaysia has never subscribed to this
fanciful dream. But we do believe the 21st Century will
be the global century, the century when all the countries
of the world will coalesce, when borders will divide
countries less and less, when people and goods,
technologies and information will move freely between
nations and throughout the world.
8. Travelling long distances will be as common as our
going to market today. We have made much progress towards
this of course. Today huge aircrafts move huge numbers of
people and freight from and to every corner of the earth.
MAS, our national airline which started as a domestic
carrier 50 years ago using 6-passenger Air-speed Consuls,
now flies to every continent except the Arctic and the
Antarctic, using Airbuses, 747 and 777. Other airlines in
the region are among the biggest users of long-haul large
aircrafts. Today these South East Asian airlines specify
the aircraft they intend to use for their non-stop flights
to Europe and America. It should not be too long before
we can fly non-stop from Kuala Lumpur or even Langkawi to
Los Angeles, and New York, in aircrafts with fully-
reclining sleeperettes at very high altitudes.
9. In South East Asia now we are seeing a booming
cruising industry with the biggest fleet belonging to a
Malaysian company. The size and luxury of their ships are
comparable to the best in the world. Leisure crafts are
also in demand and interest in sailing and racing sail-
boats and speed-boats has increased.
10. The Malaysian Challenge will be a world event which
should attract some of the best sailors. A round the
world solo sailing by a Malaysian is also in the offing as
is a round the world speed attempt by a catamaran.
11. Clearly exciting things are happening which a
currency crisis is not going to dampen too much. And all
these things will generate a lot of business for those in
the aerospace and maritime industries.
12. Manufacturing of aircrafts and components has
advanced a lot since LIMA 91, the first LIMA. Many of the
countries of South East Asia are now producing small
aircrafts and components for the big commercial aircrafts.
Offset programmes have contributed much towards this
development. Since the fall in currency values the region
is going to be more attractive for the production of high
quality components at lower cost, particularly labour
intensive composite items. Some countries in the Asia-
Pacific region are actively negotiating joint ventures to
produce regional jets and other commercial aircrafts.
Without doubt the aerospace industry in this part of the
world will be growing at the same accelerated rates as was
the economy prior to July 1997.
13. The anticipated demand for aircrafts by Asia Pacific
countries is estimated at one quarter of the 15,000
aircraft requirement of the world or US$400 billion in
value by 2014. Needless to say this creates tremendous
opportunities for the major aircraft manufacturers. It is
therefore not surprising that of late aircraft
manufacturers have been concentrating their marketing
efforts in this part of the world.
14. Although this is not a defence exhibition, aerospace
and maritime industries cannot be separated from air and
naval defence. At this exhibition there will be military
aircrafts as well as naval ships. There is no arms race
in this region but the fact remains that old equipments
need to be replaced with more modern ones and capacity
enhanced as areas of defence responsibility widens. There
will therefore be a great deal of interest on the part of
Governments in the region for replacements for their
outdated fleets and aerial defence equipment. I believe
quite a number of defence ministers and military personnel
from the countries in this region are present for this
show.
15. They will not be interested only in buying. They
will want to acquire some manufacturing capability. I am
sure all exhibitors know this but those with the most
innovative ideas and willingness to transfer technology
will find a lot of advantage. Obviously some will win
while many will lose. But that is the way it is. There
is no way for everyone to win. I am sure you will not
lose heart. There will always be another day and another
opportunity. Exhibiting is costly but the defence
business is a costly business for the Governments. They
will want to get the best bargains. They cannot be
travelling all over the world to inspect, even if these
trips are expense-paid. LIMA provide a good overall view
of the equipments they will be interested in.
16. An aerospace and maritime exhibition is essentially a
trade show. Exhibitors are not here to entertain people.
But an airshow is always interesting to the ordinary
public. You never know if a curious young visitor may not
turn out to be a top executive in a company or government.
He may be choosing the aircraft or the ship or the cruise
boat for the government or the company. He may even be
an exhibitor at this airshow in the future. So we have
provided for his entertainment too. The aerial displays
would be particularly interesting to him. Apart from the
usual displays of the agility of fighter aircrafts and the
handling qualities of non-military planes there will be
again this year aerobatic shows by the British Red Arrows.
I would like to thank the RAF and British Aerospace for
their generosity in bringing this remarkable team to the
Langkawi Aerospace and Maritime Shows. As is well-known
several air forces in the region operate the Hawks
aircraft used by the British Red Arrow team. We hope other
manufacturers and air forces would bring their acrobatic
teams in the future. We have the airspace and the time
for their aerial displays as few other airshows have.
17. In Malaysia we are encouraging flying among the
youths. They have taken to it like ducks to water. They
use ultralights largely. The Russian exhibitors donated
one of the two they exhibited in 1993. Although we have a
separate small aircraft and ultralights exhibition here in
Langkawi earlier in the year, nevertheless there will be
many among the young visitors who will be looking at the
exhibits with quite a professional interest. So the non-
trade visitors can be potential customers also.
18. Apart from the aerospace and maritime exhibition
there will be two conferences during the LIMA show. That
on aerospace will focus on 'Asia and the World Century:
Prospects for Peace, Progress and Prosperity' while the
theme for the maritime conference is entitled `The Making
of Malaysia As a Maritime Nation'. I will be opening both
conferences and you are welcome to participate.
19. Apart from Langkawi's suitability as a site for
aerospace and marine shows, it is also Malaysia's premier
resort island. It is a tax free haven for manufactured
goods from all over the world. Some of the most
attractive resort hotels are found here, quite a number
completed between the last show in 1995 and this show.
Just in case there are not enough rooms the Star Cruises
have made available one of their ships for accommodating
visitors whether business or pleasure. Indeed the
maritime conference will be held in the spacious
conference room on this ship. I hope that your stay in
Langkawi will be as enjoyable as it will probably be
profitable.
20. Malaysians are naturally hospitable. We have striven
to make this show and your stay here both profitable and
enjoyable. If you have any complaints please don't
hesitate to contact the relevant people. We would not
like to have your participation and stay here anything but
worthwhile and enjoyable.
21. I would like to wish you all the very best and every
success in your show. Billions of dollars of sale has
resulted from the last three LIMA shows. I hope you will
make good sales here.
22. Have an enjoyable time in Langkawi and come back to
spend your holidays here and to participate in LIMA '99.
23. I now have great pleasure in declaring open LIMA '97.
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