Singapore is ‘70% ready’ to host SEA Games

SINGAPORE — With 100 days to the opening ceremony of the South-east Asian (SEA) Games in June, hosts Singapore have “70 per cent readiness” to stage the biennial meet, said Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) chairman Lim Teck Yin.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the SEA Games Sports Volunteers Night at Universal Studios Singapore last night, Lim stressed that preparations are on track and is confident the buzz is building ahead of the Games, which will take place from June 5 to 16.

Tickets to marquee sports such as swimming, table tennis and badminton have been selling well, but he hopes more will be snapped up.

About 790,000 tickets are available for sale and watching 18 of the 36 sports will be free.

Organisers are targeting for 800,000 to one million visitors at the Kallang cluster during the Games, which will cost S$324.5 million to organise and will see about 4,900 athletes from 11 nations competing across 31 competition venues in three clusters in Kallang, Marina Bay and the Singapore Expo.

Events such as the Singapore Track and Field Open Championships and OUE Singapore Badminton Open will allow organisers a test run of the facilities and operations.

“It’s slowly catching on; we are receiving more and more feedback, and more queries,” said Lim yesterday.

“Ticket sales have been going fine and everyone’s looking forward to the Games. The perennial (popular sports) such as swimming, gymnastics, table tennis and badminton — these ticket sales are doing very well. The other sports are also starting to pick up as people get wind of the schedules.

“We are consolidating all the orders for bulk purchases from different organisations and will have a better picture after this month.”

He added: “Most importantly, my message to Singaporeans is Team Singapore needs your support, the athletes are putting themselves out there, training hard to do us proud. Our pride is at stake and you are the ones who will lift them up on those days of competition.”

Last night’s event saw the launch of Team Nila, a new sports volunteer brand for about 17,000 Singaporeans and residents who have signed up as volunteers for the Games.

More than 5,000 volunteers were also treated to a night of fun and entertainment at Universal Studios’ Waterworld.

Among them was retiree Tang Chun Tuck, 62, who volunteered as a first-aider at the 1973 SEA Peninsular Games and 1983 SEA Games in Singapore.

For this year’s Games, the former civil servant is playing a new role in media relations.

“My experience in 1973 was very memorable and I remember wearing my Red Cross uniform and working with the athletes,” he said. “The pleasant memories from those days spurred me to volunteer this time.”

Another volunteer is civil servant Loke Hon Wah, who was a liaison officer with Thailand’s athletics team during the 1993 SEA Games in Singapore, where he forged a friendship with long-distance runner Pongchanin Khokbua.

Loke hosted the Thai runner when he returned to Singapore for the Sheares Bridge Run in 1995 and the two friends reconnected a few years ago through Facebook after losing touch.

“I can’t put a finger on why we became good friends, but the two of us had a lot in common,” said Loke. “I’m really looking forward to being part of this big event, especially with this being part of the SG50 celebrations.”