As Indonesia prepares to host the Southeast Asian Games for the first time since 1997, it wants to make sure the 26th edition of the regional games is the most memorable yet.
Plans to stamp Indonesia’s mark on the next SEA Games began when the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) proposed changing the starting date.
"We have been trying to propose that the Games start on November 11 in 2011 during our presentations in the [Southeast Asian Games Federation] meeting. I think it would be beautiful to put it this way: 11/11/11," KOI secretary general Arie Ariotedjo told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday.
A decision on the start date is expected at a SEA Games Council meeting in April. The location and exact day of the meeting have yet to be announced.
Arie also denied Indonesia proposed holding the Games in June and July, citing potential difficulties with securing funding.
"We know the government always has its state budget allocated between March and April. It would be impossible for us to hold it in June or July while almost all the facilities and infrastructure in the four host provinces would not be ready yet," he said.
Semarang, Central Java, and Bandung, West Java, are scheduled to serve as main hosts for the 2011 Games, with Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra, acting as supporting hosts.
KOI has proposed the next Games contain 37 sports, 22 Olympic and 15 non-Olympic. The four Olympic sports left out are handball, field hockey, modern pentathlon and triathlon.
"We know Southeast Asian countries are not ready yet to play those sports in regional-level competition, from the sports federations to the athletes," said Arie, who is also president of the Indonesian Handball Association.
The 2009 SEA Games in Vientiane, Laos, featured 28 disciplines, down from 43 in 2007.
Non-Olympic sports at the 2011 Games will include chess, fencing and wall climbing, none of which took place in Laos. Kempo, a martial art which originated in Japan, will make its debut.
The goal, Arie said, is to promote those events for eventual inclusion in the Asian Games or Olympics.
“It seems now as if Europe and America dominate the world of sport. It is time for Asia, where half of the world’s population lives, to prove itself in world competitions,” Arie said. JAKARTA GLOBE
The 25th edition of the SouthEast Asian Games came to a spectacular end tonight where in true ASEAN spirit, songs from all participating countries marked the beginning of the closing ceremony at the Main Stadium. And as government leaders and VIP Guests slowly trickled into the gathering pace of songs, the marching in of the SEA Games flag began making their way into the stadium to the pace of the Laos Police Band. Athletes and officials in their different multi-coloured costumes but all in celebratory mood were then paraded in just prior to the giving of the official closing ceremony speech by the Laos Deputy Prime Minister, His Excellency Somsavat Lengsavad.
The flags of hosts Laos and also that of the SEA Games were lowered before the SEA Games flag was handed to the delegates from Indonesia to make their taking over of the next hosting job in 2011. That marked the start of the official cultural and artistic performance beginning with the 'Paddy Thrash Dance'.
Then came an ensemble of Laotian favourites of the 'Lao New Year' dance, the 'Rocket Festival' dance, the 'Boat Racing Festival' dance and which culminates in the 'Gather Together Again' dance - a performance from the delegation from Indonesia.
A spectacular display of fireworks to light the night sky then marked the end of the official closing ceremony and also a fabulous chapter to the 25th edition of the SEA Games when Laos played hosts to an incident-free meet.
SEAG
AHMAD SHABERY (kanan) dan Zolkples bercakap kepada pemberita ketika memberi ulasan mengenai Mesyuarat Lembaga Pengurus Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) di Kuala Lumpur semalam.
WALAUPUN Sukan SEA di Laos baru sahaja berakhir, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS) telah mengarahkan Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) untuk mengadakan persiapan awal bagi menghadapi edisi seterusnya di Indonesia pada 2011.
Menterinya, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek berkata perkara itu perlu kerana temasya sukan dwi-tahunan itu akan dilangsungkan pada bulan Jun iaitu kira-kira 18 bulan dari sekarang.
"Malah kita perlu mengatur terutama dari segi koordinasi pegawai dan sebagainya dari sekarang kerana ia akan melibatkan empat tempat (daerah)," katanya selepas mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Lembaga Pengurus MSN, semalam.
Negara yang mempunyai kira-kira 222 juta rakyat itu dilaporkan akan menganjurkan temasya sukan dwi-tahunan itu di Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung dan Semarang. Ahmad Shabery berkata, mesyuarat itu juga telah bersetuju untuk menggunakan beberapa pendekatan berbeza pada masa depan terutamanya kesungguhan negara lain mendapat ranking (kedudukan) yang lebih tinggi di Sukan SEA.
"Walaupun kita tidak melihat kepada itu, namun ia perlu diberi perhatian kerana ia adalah kehendak rakyat.
"Seperti acara bola sepak yang merupakan sukan utama juga perlu mengekalkan prestasi untuk mempertahankan pingat emas. Kita pernah memenanginya di Jakarta pada 1979," katanya.
TINJU berjaya menghadiahkan satu pingat emas menerusi Muhamad Farkhan Haron (kiri) pada temasya di Laos baru-baru ini.
Mengulas lanjut mengenai perkara itu, Ketua Pengarah MSN, Datuk Zolkples Embong berkata, program untuk Sukan SEA 2011 akan dirancang dan dilaksanakan secepat mungkin.
"Kita juga akan mengamalkan perbelanjaan lebih berhati-hati kerana peruntukan MSN juga telah dikurangkan tahun depan yang pasti akan melibatkan program dan aktiviti persatuan sukan.
"Jadi kejayaan di Laos seperti yang dibuktikan oleh sukan tinju dan silat akan diambil kira kerana menjadi amalan kita memberikan bantuan yang lebih kepada sukan-sukan yang berjaya," katanya.
Mesyuarat itu juga bersetuju menghantar 12 jurulatih tempatan ke Kanada tahun depan bagi mendalami ilmu kejurulatihan selama setahun.
"Setakat ini kita belum menetapkan 12 jurulatih terbabit namun ia mungkin menjurus kepada empat jenis sukan yang terlibat di dalam program Road To London 2012 (badminton, memanah, lumba basikal dan terjun)," katanya.
TUGAS berat menanti skuad B-23 negara untuk mempertahankan pingat emas pada temasya di Indonesia 2011 nanti.
Beliau berkata, langkah itu diambil bagi membolehkan pihaknya menumpukan pembangunan di peringkat bawah usia yang muda, tidak seperti sebelum ini yang membabitkan penumpuan atlet elit sahaja.
Mengenai Skim Hadiah Kemenangan Sukan (Shakam) yang dikatakan terlalu kecil berbanding negara lain di Asia Tenggara, Zolkples berkata, perkara itu sedang dikaji pihaknya.
"Pelbagai aspek perlu diambil kira kerana Sukan SEA tidak diutamakan seperti Sukan Asia, Komanwel dan Olimpik malah kita juga membayar gaji, elaun dan penginapan yang mungkin tidak diberikan negara lain," katanya. Malaysia membayar RM5,000 kepada atlet negara yang berjaya memenangi pingat emas serta RM1,000 jika berjaya memecahkan rekod kejohanan manakala Indonesia memberikan ganjaran AS$20,000 (RM68,000), Singapura (AS$10,000 - RM34,000) dan Laos (AS$2,000 - RM6,800) untuk pingat emas.
Sementara itu, mengenai Konvensyen Sukan Kebangsaan 2009 yang akan berlangsung selama dua hari bermula hari ini, Zolkples berkata, terdapat enam jawatankuasa kecil yang membentangkan perkembangan mengenai 100 resolusi yang diluluskan tahun lepas.
PREPARATIONS for the 2011 Sea Games in Indonesia is expected to start early.
Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said since Indonesia are expected to host the 2011 Sea Games in June, there will be only 18 months to prepare.
"Furthermore, we have to start preparing all the logistics involved, including the delegation of duties for officers involved since the Games will be hosted at four main venues," he told reporters after chairing the National Sports Council's board meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Ahmad Shabery said the meeting also adopted a proposal to take a different approach for the Sea Games.
"It must be given proper attention because it is what the people want. With football being the most popular sport, we need to defend the gold medal."
NSC director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong said preparations for the 2011 SEA Games would start soon.
However,since the allocation for the NSC had been reduced, the council would be prudent in its spending.
"The meeting also agreed to send 12 coaches for a one-year stint in Canada as part of preparations for the 2012 London Olympics."
He added that though NSC has yet to identify the coaches, there was a possibility that the coaches would be among those involved in the Road To London 2012 programme involving badminton, archery, cycling and diving. -- Bernama
UNTUKMU MALAYSIA... Pemain negara merealisasikan impian negara untuk meraih pingat emas
di pentas Sukan SEA selepas 20 tahun.
di pentas Sukan SEA selepas 20 tahun.
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VIENTIANE, Laos - Selepas menanti selama 20 tahun, akhirnya pingat emas acara bola sepak Sukan SEA kembali berada dalam genggaman Malaysia.
Skuad negara kendalian K. Rajagobal mengakhiri kemarau selama 20 tahun itu apabila berjaya membenam Vietnam 1-0 pada final Sukan SEA XXV di Stadium Utama, Kompleks Sukan Nasional.
Jaringan sendiri oleh pemain Vietnam, Mai Xuan Hop pada minit ke-83 sudah cukup buat barisan muda negara melakar sejarah penuh gemilang di bumi Laos, sekali gus membantu kontinjen Malaysia meraih pingat emas ke-40 semalam.
"Selepas kita menanti 20 tahun, kini anak-anak buah saya sudah mengembalikan semula pingat emas acara bola sepak Sukan SEA buat Malaysia. Kami sememangnya berhak meraih untuk pingat emas ini.
"Selama ini, kita menunggu untuk bergelar juara Sukan SEA dan akhirnya para pemain saya telah merealisasikan impian seluruh peminat bola sepak Malaysia. Saya harap, dengan kejayaan ini, ia akan kembali mengangkat kembali martabat bola sepak Malaysia," kata Rajagobal.
Kali terakhir skuad negara memenangi pingat emas acara bola sepak ialah pada Sukan SEA 1989 di Kuala Lumpur selepas menewaskan Singapura 1-0. Pada Sukan SEA 2001 juga di Kuala Lumpur, skuad negara turut melangkah ke final, namun tewas 0-1 kepada Thailand.
Mengulas lanjut kejayaan anak-anak buahnya mengulangi pencapaian pada Sukan SEA 1989, Rajagobal berkata, kesungguhan serta semangat yang ditunjukkan menjadi antara kunci utama mereka ditabalkan selaku juara pada temasya kali ini.
THE National Sports Council's (NSC) target of 35 gold medals was surpassed on the final day of competition for the Malaysian Sea Games contingent, but despite being ranked fourth overall -- the lowest final position in 22 years -- Malaysia finished the 25th edition of the regional meet relatively on a high.
Not only did swimmer Daniel Bego emerge the top male athlete of the Games with his five gold and a bronze medal, the final tally of 40 gold, 40 silver and 59 bronze medals also included some of the more significant victories in the Sea Games.
Without a big number of sports in which Malaysia stood strong chances of winning, this tally was widely regarded a success.
Most stunning of all was the Under-23 national football team's recovery from the brink of elimination to beat Thailand and end their domination of the football competition that stretches back to the 1993 Games.
Malaysia then beat hosts Laos convincingly in the semi-finals and put to rest their controversial 3-1 preliminary round defeat to beat Vietnam (1-0) in the final.
The end of football's 20-year gold medal drought was the biggest victory for the contingent, but it wasn't the only new milestone achieved.
The boxing squad finally proved that they were capable of being just as competitive abroad when they ended a 42-year wait for their first gold medals outside of the country through Farkhan Haron and Fairus Azwan Abdullah.
The aquatics squad contributed the most to the national contingent's final tally with nine gold, five silver and six bronze medals from swimming and six gold, one silver and two bronze medals from diving.
The swimming squad powered by Daniel, triple gold medallist Siow Yi Ting and Khoo Cai Lin also impressed in setting 18 new national records. All but one of the nine gold medals won were in Sea Games record time.
All the Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) had targeted initially were four gold medals from swimming and four from diving.
The next best performers were the karate squad, who surpassed the target of three gold medals with a final tally of five gold, six silver and two bronze medals.
But in some instances there were still questions about the level of development in the squad, more so in the men's kumite team that only managed the silver medal, thanks mainly to 35-year old R. Puvaneswaran.
Puvaneswaran also won the 55kg gold medal on his Sea Games swansong. All signs show that the 55kg gold medal is set to be lost with his absence from the next Sea Games.
The silat squad too bounced back from the controversy of biased judging at the Korat Sea Games two years ago, to surpass their target of two gold with a total haul of four gold and six bronze medals.
This was by contrast an exceptional case of surpassing a modest target instead of the bold target of 10 gold medals by the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU), which eventually turned out to be an embarrassment, when they only managed six.
While it was a done deal from the start for pole vaulter Rosinda Samsu, the end result was more about the MAAU even failing to meet the modest seven gold medal target set by the NSC.
Athletics was at least saved by the six gold medals, unlike the shooting squad, who featured seasoned shooters Hasli Izwan Amir Hasan, Bibiana Ng and Nur Suryani Taibi.
They were also one of the largest squads in the contingent, but failed to deliver a single gold medal, ending the campaign with six silver and five bronze medals. NST
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