Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed speaks to the press after visiting the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition here at Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre, Langkawi March 28, 2019. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

LANGKAWI, March 28 — Prime MInister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said Malaysia’s arms industry will be developed to spur the country’s economy much like the national car industry.

He said the development of weapons and arms required knowledge of technology and modern systems of control.

“We need to learn if we want to become a developed country, we need to have command of this knowledge,” he told a press conference at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2019 (LIMA’19).

Dr Mahathir said Malaysian companies have improved their capabilities and technologies in recent years especially in defence technology.

“I am impressed with the Malaysian companies’ technological capabilities that I have seen in LIMA’19,” he said after visiting Malaysian booths at the five-day international event at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) here.

He said this edition of LIMA is among the best in terms of investments and collaborations involving international and local companies.

“Now we have sophisticated technology and we can even produce defence products that can be exported,” Dr Mahathir said.

He then called on Malaysian talents overseas to come back to improve the nation’s technological know-how, especially in the aviation industry.

Dr Mahathir said Malaysian companies have displayed sophisticated technologies such as in the airport control tower.

“The technology is better than previously which used radio and now we can see which airplanes are coming and the air traffic controller can direct it for landing or take-off,” he said.