Published: Saturday February 23, 2013 MYT 6:08:00 PM

Lima goes on in March – even if GE13 is held

By RAZAK AHMAD

PETALING JAYA: Next month's Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) exhibition will not be affected even if the event ends up colliding with the 13th general election, the Defence Ministry has assured.

Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Ahmad said Lima will not be disrupted if the Dewan Rakyat is dissolved on a date close to the bi-annual exhibition which will take place from March 26-30.

"It will not be the first time that Lima is organised soon after the dissolution of Parliament as it has happened before, and this will not have any effect on the exhibition if it happens," Ismail told reporters at the Ministry's Open Day held at a shopping mall here.

First held in 1991, the 1999 edition of LIMA opened on Dec. 1, one day after polling in the general election held that year.

Ismail was responding to Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof who said Saturday that he expected Parliament to be dissolved after the Lima exhibition in March.

The EC chairman was commenting on rumours that Lima exhibitors will withdraw if the Dewan Rakyat is dissolved before the event.

Parliament's term ends on April 27 but speculation is rife that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak may seek the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's consent for an earlier dissolution in the coming weeks to pave the way for a general election.

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Published: Saturday February 23, 2013 MYT 6:08:00 PM

Lima goes on in March – even if GE13 is held

By RAZAK AHMAD