Safety measures taken during Lima '25 pay off
KUALA LUMPUR: Ground safety planning and execution during the 17th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima '25) went well without any major glitches or fatalities.
'So far, the safety aspect has been well planned and executed. We have not encountered any issues or hiccups and everything is running smoothly, just as planned from the beginning,' Aerospace Secretariat spokesman Royal Malaysian Airforce (RMAF) officer Lt-Kol Mohd Faizal Md Jani told theSun.
He said ground safety is managed by the Air Display Safety Cell.
'Our responsibility covers the entire area from the tarmac to the aircraft parking zones, ensuring the safety of ground operations, aircraft displays and all aircraft movements related to the air display.
'A key aspect of our morning routine is monitoring and mitigating bird activity around the airfield. Bird strikes pose a significant risk to aircraft, potentially causing serious damage and disrupting operations.
'Therefore, we conduct proactive measures each morning, such as dispersing birds from the runway and surrounding areas, to minimise this risk and maintain operational integrity.
'We operate a long-range acoustic device to drive away birds from the area, ensuring a safer airspace and reducing the risk of bird strikes.'
Mohd Faizal said for aircraft taxiing during the air display, the ground safety team has designated and gazetted routes for both taxi-in and taxi-out operations which all pilots are aware of.
'Additionally, a designated master is responsible for instructing and guiding us on where to park the aircraft after the air show.'
Mohd Faizal said crowd control around the aircraft area is handled by Air Defence units within the RMAF, including units like Paskal, an elite special forces unit of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
He said their responsibility is to ensure that the public does not encroach into restricted zones near the aircraft.
As for pyrotechnics, Mohd Faizal said all necessary safety measures within the airfield are strictly enforced before any activity takes place.
He said for areas outside the airfield, such as where the public gathers, crowd control falls under the responsibility of the police, as it is beyond the organisers' direct control.
'From the very beginning of our planning, about six to eight months ahead of Lima '25, we incorporated safety criteria as a core component in preparing for the air display event.'
Mohd Faizal said one of the main challenges faced during Lima '25 was managing the civilian crowd outside the airfield, particularly those who did not heed safety advice.
He said these individuals often ignored warnings related to potential hazards.
'For instance, during aircraft start-up, the exhaust blast can pose a danger, yet some onlookers refused to move even after being asked repeatedly, only reacting after experiencing the blast firsthand.
'This lack of seriousness towards safety remains a recurring issue.'
Mohd Faizal said Lima '25 implemented several new technologies and monitoring tools to enhance safety and control during the air show.
'One example is the use of the Stripe system, which employs cameras to monitor key parameters such as the aircraft's position relative to the foul line and minimum height limits during the display.
'This technology allows officials to track whether an aircraft crosses these safety boundaries and to promptly alert the pilot if necessary.
'Additionally, we have an anti-drone unit in place that can jam or intercept any unauthorised drones operated by civilians near the airspace.
'So far, we have not encountered any drone intrusions and this security measure will remain active for the next two to three days.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Malay Mail
PLKN 3.0: NS trainees fired up over rare chance to shoot real M16 rifles with live ammunition
KUANTAN, June 4 — A total of 123 trainees in the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 Series 2/2025 were seen to be excited with the opportunity to undergo a shooting exercise with real guns like the M16 at the Naval Region Headquarters (MAWILLA) 1 Target Range in Tanjung Gelang here today. National Service Training Department (JLKN) Training Operations Division director, Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Colonel Mazlizan Shaikh Osman said the number was part of the 257 male trainees who participated in the 45-day programme at the 505th Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Pekan. 'We are holding two shooting sessions, today with the Alpha and Bravo companies and tomorrow with the Charlie and Delta companies. 'This training is part of the 70 per cent of military elements applied in the PLKN, apart from shooting practice, we also train them in navigation, survival skills and crossing obstacle courses,' he said at a press conference here today. Mazlizan also said that female PLKN trainees stationed at the 515th Territorial Army Regiment (Askar Wataniah) Camp in Kuala Lumpur will also undergo shooting training and the same basic military module to build discipline, confidence and identity of the young generation as the country's frontliners. 'We are holding training like this because based on past studies, many trainees want to train outdoors and if they are in other locations, they do not have the opportunity to use real weapons. 'The weapon used in the training is the M16 rifle (standard US military rifle) with live ammunition where the trainees are trained to shoot at a distance of 25 metres (m) and 100m in prone, sitting and standing positions,' he said. He said that before practising at the target range, the trainees are first provided with knowledge related to weapons, protocol that is allowed and prohibited when handling weapons to ensure the safety of all present during a drill. A PLKN trainee Aiman Khawarizmi Kamaruddin, 20, from Kota Baru, Kelantan, admitted that he really enjoyed the shooting exercise because it gave him new knowledge and experience. 'This shooting experience is very valuable to me and my friends and gives us exposure on the knowledge of using real weapons,' he said. — Bernama
The Star
12 hours ago
- The Star
PLKN 3.0: NS trainees thrilled to get to fire M16 using real ammo
KUANTAN: A total of 123 trainees in the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 Series 2/2025 were seen to be excited with the opportunity to undergo a shooting exercise with real guns like the M16 at the Naval Region Headquarters (MAWILLA) 1 Target Range in Tanjung Gelang here on Wednesday (June 4). National Service Training Department Training Operations Division director, Royal Malaysian Air Force Colonel Mazlizan Shaikh Osman ( pic, centre ), said the number was part of the 257 male trainees who participated in the 45-day programme at the 505th Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Pekan. "We are holding two shooting sessions, today (June 4) with the Alpha and Bravo companies and tomorrow (June 5) with the Charlie and Delta companies. "This training is part of the 70% of military elements applied in the PLKN, apart from shooting practice, we also train them in navigation, survival skills and crossing obstacle courses," he said at a press conference here on Wednesday. Mazlizan also said that female trainees stationed at the 515th Territorial Army Regiment (Askar Wataniah) Camp in Kuala Lumpur would also undergo shooting training and the same basic military module to build discipline, confidence and identity of the young generation as the country's frontliners. "We are holding training like this because, based on past studies, many trainees want to train outdoors, and if they are in other locations, they do not have the opportunity to use real weapons. "The weapon used in the training is the M16 rifle (standard US military rifle) with live ammunition, where the trainees are trained to shoot at a distance of 25m and 100m in prone, sitting and standing positions," he said. He said that before practising at the target range, trainees were first provided with knowledge related to weapons, as well as protocols that were allowed and prohibited when handling weapons, to ensure the safety of all present during a drill. A trainee, Aiman Khawarizmi Kamaruddin, 20, from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, admitted that he really enjoyed the shooting exercise because it gave him new knowledge and experience. "This shooting experience is very valuable to me and my friends and gives us exposure on the knowledge of using real weapons," he said. – Bernama
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Navy officer honoured for heroic rescue at Teluk Batik
KUALA LUMPUR: While onlookers could only scream helplessly on the beach, Lieutenant Commander Mohd Firdaus Arbaain acted decisively, diving into the sea and swimming swiftly towards an overturned tourist boat to save lives, including two young children crying in fear. The incident, which occurred at Teluk Batik beach, Perak, in August 2023, was recalled with full reverence today as the Executive Officer of KD Sri Indera Sakti was the sole recipient of the Bintang Jasa Perkasa Persekutuan (JPP) at the Federal Awards, Medals and Honours Investiture Ceremony in conjunction with the Official Birthday of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, at Istana Negara here today. For Mohd Firdaus, 42, the award was not solely his, but a recognition of every hero and heroine of the nation who continue to serve the country and its people. "This is also a recognition for the Royal Malaysian Navy in particular, and the Armed Forces (MAF) in general. "I also dedicate this award to my family... when the incident happened, my wife and children were also at the scene," he told Bernama after the ceremony. Recalling the incident, Mohd Firdaus, who was then spending leisure time with his family, said he never expected that day would become a life-changing moment for many, including himself. While preparing to have a meal, he said his wife saw a boat carrying nine people almost capsizing, and in less than a minute, it overturned. He added that the screams of the passengers and the cries of children after the boat overturned spurred him into action, drawing on his ten years of experience as a member of the Naval Special Warfare Force (Paskal). "I mustered the courage to swim from the shore to the boat's location and handed over all the life jackets to the victims. I also helped to put life jackets on the two children of (Mohammad) Hafiz (Johari)," he said. In the incident, Mohammad Hafiz's wife, Nurul Afiqah Abdullah Sani, was found trapped under the overturned boat and died while receiving treatment at Manjung Hospital. His sibling and two children, along with four other individuals, survived. Mohd Firdaus said that although nearly two years had passed, the incident had left a profound impact on him. He said he got to meet up with the family last year when he was invited to be a guest on a podcast programme held in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan, in conjunction with the Armed Forces Day celebration. "Only after the programme did he (Mohammad Hafiz) find out who had saved him and his family… I immediately went to meet him and his children in Parit Buntar. I also recently met them again in Langkawi during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA)… I brought them on a tour of the ship and the rest of the exhibition.
