Issues related to national defence assets should not be debated openly by any quarter, Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says.

NONE "You can question the price or specifications of the assets but do not cast aspersions on the capabilities of the assets in defending the country," he said at a luncheon with the media covering the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2011 (Lima '11) in Langkawi today.

Brushing aside claims by the opposition that the two Royal Malaysian Navy submarines could not dive, Ahmad Zahid said he would continue to invite contentious opposition MPs to see for themselves the capability of the defence assets.

azlan "Those who talked a lot will be the first to be invited.

"Actually, politicians should not be allowed to board the submarines, but to prove them wrong and protect the armed forces' image, we have to make an exception," he said.

He said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his two deputies would dive with the submarine KD Tun Razak submarine this afternoon.

"Two of them are from the DAP while another is from PKR. The vessel is scheduled to travel for five hours to get to the deep ocean before diving.

"We will invite a PAS representative to Sepanggar Bay (naval base) in Sabah later.

NONE "For Tony Pua (Petaling Jaya Utara MP), we will invite him to take a three-day ride on a submarine from Langkawi to Sepanggar Bay.

"Let him know how hard it is to travel in a submarine. He was the noisiest of them all, he talked too much," said Zahid.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said until 12.35pm today, about 35,000 people had visited the aerospace exhibition at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC), which is open to the public today and tomorrow.

The maritime exhibition at Awana Porto Malai is open to the public throughout Lima '11, which started on Tuesday and ends tomorrow.

Ahmad Zahid said the organiser, HW Lima Sdn Bhd, would donate all proceeds from admission tickets today and tomorrow to charities.

- Bernama

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