24/05/2025

SATURDAY | MAY 24, 2025

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Safety measures taken during Lima ’25 pay off

dredging operations. He said Malaysia has secured the necessary funding for the expanded scope of work. Prasert, who is also Thailand’s digital economy and society minister, welcomed Malaysia’s proactive approach and said his ministry is working closely with Thailand’s Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to support implementation, Bernama reported. During Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Thailand in April, both nations witnessed the signing of an MoU for the construction agreement related to the Rantau Panjang–Sungai Golok Bridge Project. ‘Issue of allowing new PKR members to contest to be discussed further’ JOHOR BAHRU: The proposal to abolish the power of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president to allow new members to contest in general and party elections will be discussed further at a party meeting, said PKR president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. “We will raise the proposal at the meeting because my decision that day was made at the Central Leadership Council meeting, and I said I don’t want to make it difficult (for the members who are contesting). “That’s why when the headquarters sent (the list of candidate applications) to me, I approved all. If I had approved part (of the list), and not the other part, there would then be problems. So, everything that reached my desk, after being scrutinised by the headquarters, whether they were bankrupt or had misconduct issues, I approved them all. So, for me, there is no issue.” Anwar was speaking after casting his vote in person in the party’s central leadership election at the Berjaya Waterfront Hotel here yesterday. Also present were PKR Advisory Council chairman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PKR secretary-general Dr Fuziah Salleh, who is also domestic trade and cost of living deputy minister, and Central Election Committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, who is also minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories). Previously, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli had suggested that the power granted to the party president, which allows new members to contest in elections, be abolished to prevent the party from being flooded by opportunists who are more interested in positions or political gain than in genuine struggle. Asked about Rafizi’s presence at the launch of the PKR National Congress last night, Anwar said he expects the economy minister to be present in his capacity as the party’s deputy president. “I’m only assuming because he is the deputy president (as) he also attended the Cabinet meeting. He carried out his duties as usual, like presenting the paperwork, (and) commenting.” Anwar also spent some time mingling with PKR delegates and election staff. Yesterday’s voting was to elect members of the Central Leadership Council, the Angkatan Muda Keadilan Leadership Council and the Wanita Keadilan Leadership Council. A total of 32,030 delegates were eligible to vote, comprising 22,936 online voters and 9,094 physical voters. Zaliha was quoted as saying that the results of the party’s new leadership election are expected to be known as early as midnight (last night) or by 2.30pm today. – Bernama

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.”

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

o No issues or hiccups encountered during event so far as precautions well planned and executed, says RMAF officer

Ű BY JOHN GILBERT news@thesundaily.com

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

Visitors to Lima ’25 were able to see the nation’s defence assets and demonstrations on how terrorist attacks are tackled. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUN

Joint Malaysian-Thai initiative to solve Sungai Golok floods BANGKOK: Malaysia has ramped up efforts under the Cross-Border Collaboration initiative with Thailand through the Golok River Mouth Improvement Project to reduce frequent flooding and enhance the quality of life for communities along Sungai Golok. to tackle sedimentation, manage water flow and reduce flood risks.” Fadillah was speaking during a courtesy call on Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong at the Government House on Friday, as part of his three-day working visit to Thailand. works at the Sungai Golok estuary and construct a river dyke or groyne by the end of 2025, pending approval from the JTWG and Thai authorities.”

Fadillah, who is also energy transition and water transformation minister, said both sides had reaffirmed their commitment during the 40th JTWG meeting, with further updates and progress expected to be shared at upcoming JET and JSC meetings later this year. He said Malaysia is also conducting a post monsoon sedimentation survey, highlighting that sediment levels have already exceeded the Tidal Mean Sea Level threshold, necessitating

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the river, which marks a natural boundary between Malaysia and Thailand, has long been susceptible to flooding, causing severe disruptions to the lives of local residents. “Mitigating floods at the Sungai Golok estuary requires a mix of engineering solutions, environmental management and sound policy

He said the Golok River Mouth Improvement Project has been a collaborative effort since 1997, anchored by the Joint Evaluation Team (JET), Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) and Joint Steering Committee (JSC). “To alleviate the impact of monsoon-season flooding, Malaysia plans to undertake dredging