Wanted: S’porean fans at SEA Games

SINGAPORE – In buses, housing estates and shopping malls, Singaporeans can expect to see and hear all about the 28th SEA Games in the coming weeks, before the multi-sport event starts here on June 5.

While a quick check by TODAY showed that some Singaporeans are unaware of when the SEA Games are going to be held, organisers are planning to change that, as they pull out all the stops to get the public and sports fans involved in the Games festivities and action, and cheer on Team Singapore’s 748-strong contingent as they make their bid for a record haul of more than 50 gold medals in 36 sports.

“In the coming weeks, we are raising awareness in the city, and even in buses, taxis and HDB (Housing and Development Board) estates,” said Toh Boon Yi, chief of corporate and community outreach, SINGSOC executive committee.

“From the beginning when we selected the theme Celebrate The Extraordinary, there was a fundamental belief to why we chose it; everyone, (whether they are) athletes or not, everyone in the country and region has got something extraordinary in them. I encourage more people to come to the Games because we have a chance to surpass the 50-gold-medal record from 1993. So, everything will be in your face. If people choose not do anything than we would have failed.”

The Games organisers have kickstarted a series of community events to get the message out to Singaporeans. Launched in March, the Torch-Up! programme consists of 30 public art installations islandwide, which are created by local artists and various community groups. Community Sports Festivals organised by the People’s Association will be held in the later part of this month to give residents a preview of the Games torch, while mass participation runs and walks, and well-wishing activities involving Team Singapore athletes will be held in the three weekends leading up to the Games.

The campaign has also moved online, with an interactive game, Nila’s Quest, created to collect digital flames — more than 523,288 flames have been collected from regional players to date.

The Nila Run, Swim and Aquathlon will also be held during the marathon and triathlon events to get more people involved in the action, as well as cheer on the athletes.

SINGSOC has also been reaching out to schools and tertiary institutions. Toh said: “We have reached out to almost 150 schools and almost 300,000 students from the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

“Every primary school student has done an activity booklet related to the SEA Games. When Nila goes out to the streets, a guarantee is that every primary school child would know who Nila is.”

Toh is well aware of the need to get local fans into the stadiums and sports hall during the SEA Games, which will feature athletes from 11 countries competing across 36 sports. At last week’s 11th South-east Asian Basketball Championships, the final group match between Singapore and the Philippines saw a boisterous Filipino crowd filling out the OCBC Arena and out-cheering the local fans.

Toh is hopeful for a different scenario at the Games’ basketball competition when the hosts make their challenge for gold. “It felt like we were in Manila. But we did have a cheer squad and they gave the Filipinos a good show as well. Singaporeans who were there didn’t cheer, and they just sat there and watched the game. So I encourage people to attend and support (our athletes). A lot of the athletes have taken time off from work and school to train full time, the last thing we want is to see an empty stadium,” he said.

“If Singaporeans are not supporting our team, we are going to have a scenario where Singapore play another country in the SEA Games and our players will feel that they are not in Singapore because other countries’ (fans) can outshine (ours).”