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Myanmar’s all geared up for SEA Games party

YANGON — Like the slice of old-fashioned butter cake in his hands, Mr Hla Chit’s gesture was sweet and simple.

YANGON — Like the slice of old-fashioned butter cake in his hands, Mr Hla Chit’s gesture was sweet and simple.

So, too, were the heartfelt words that accompanied his offering, made to this reporter after a chat about next month’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which Myanmar will host for the first time in 44 years. “Thank you for interviewing me and for writing about the SEA Games,” said the 60-year-old street vendor.

For Mr Hla Chit, who earns 5,000 kyat (S$6.40) a day selling coffee, soft drinks and snacks at a dusty stall outside Myanmar ICT Park, the return of the SEA Games to Myanmar is a special occasion for its people. He told TODAY that he was just a teenager when Yangon — then known as Rangoon — hosted the biennial regional Games in 1969.

They were known as the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games at the time. And those Games — the fifth edition — were particularly memorable for Myanmar, which was then called Burma. They not only topped the medal standings with 57 golds but also won the most prized gold medal of all by beating Thailand 3-0 in the men’s football final.

“I am very proud we are hosting the SEA Games and I hope the football team will win the gold medal,” said Mr Hla Chit.

He is not alone. Said 20-year-old Thee Oo Thazin, a member of the 12,000-strong group of SEA Games volunteers: “The SEA Games comes just once in a lifetime. Everyone is very excited. About 20 of my friends are going to volunteer too.”

The sense of pride and anticipation in the air is palpable as Myanmar readies itself to welcome more than 5,000 athletes from 11 neighbouring countries for the sporting festival, to be held from Dec 11 to 22.

Banners proclaiming its advent line the traffic-choked streets of Yangon, while stalls selling SEA Games souvenirs have sprung up in tourist spots — even though the city is hosting only seven of its 33 sports.

Most of the other sports will be staged in Naypyitaw, the country’s new capital, a six-hour drive from Yangon. It provides the biggest proof of just how important the SEA Games is to the government and how determined it is to stage it successfully.

The two impressive main multi-sport arenas — the Wunna Theikdi and Zeyar Thiri — have been built after three years of construction and have staged test events to ensure that facilities and equipment operate smoothly.

An Athletes’ Village and 10,000 hotel rooms have also been created and the authorities are attempting to bring in up to 1,000 taxis to fill the eerily quiet streets of Naypyitaw — all part of the 340 billion kyat that the government is reportedly spending on the event.

Government officials would not confirm the amount, which was reported by the privately-owned English-language newspaper the Myanmar Times.

However, the country’s two Deputy Sports Ministers explained why the SEA Games is so important to Myanmar.

“Myanmar changed to a democratic government in 2010 (and we have) peace and tranquillity and our people saw development and transformation,” said Mr Thaung Htike, referring to the country’s recent emergence from 50 years of military rule.

“Sports is one of the important things for development … it is a national cause for the development of our country.”

His counterpart Zaw Winn added: “We have a standard to meet in the SEA Games … so the people can be proud of their nationality. If we win the gold, we will be able to hear the national song, see the national flag and feel proud of our country.”

It seems the locals are unfazed by the level of official spending, even though Myanmar’s average per capita national income is between US$800 (S$997) and US$1,000, and 26 per cent of its estimated 60 million people live in poverty.

As 45-year-old Nan Aye Khine, a mother of five who works in a pharmacy, told TODAY during her coffee break: “It is good money spent if you consider that the nation is hoping for this to happen.

“I am proud and happy that we are hosting it and I want to watch sports like archery, equestrian and volleyball because I used to play the sport.”

To make the Games affordable to everyone, the Government is charging only 2,000 kyat for season tickets. However, tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies and the football competition will cost between US$25 and US$50.

There are two other reasons Myanmar wants to pull off a spectacular SEA Games, which is expected to draw a million spectators, including up to 15,000 tourists.

First, the government wants a successful kick-off after it assumed the chairmanship of ASEAN, the regional grouping of South-east Asia, last month. The SEA Games has also been billed as a rehearsal for next year’s ASEAN meetings that include an annual East Asia summit bringing together leaders from 18 nations, including China, Japan and the United States.

The Myanmar government has also set its sights on hosting the Asian Games for the first time in future. Since 1951, only three ASEAN countries have hosted the Asiad — the Philippines (1954), Indonesia (Jakarta, 1962) and Thailand (Bangkok, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1998). Vietnam will be the fourth to do so in 2019.

As Thaung Thike said: “This SEA Games will give us the experience to host Asian-level events. In the coming future, we will present our request to the international bodies (Olympic Council of Asia) to give us a chance to host the Asian Games.”

Local firms like Myanmar Golden Rock International — the official distributor for Canon in Myanmar — are prepared to pitch in if the Asiad comes to town in 2023. “We are very keen on sponsoring the Asian Games because this is Asia’s biggest sports event,” said Managing Director Dennis Lian Uk.

“Hosting the Asian Games will be a very special moment for all of us.”

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