Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The highly awaited international sporting event of Asian Games is expected to achieve great success through support from various parties, including a number of state-owned enterprises, telecommunications companies, national, and international companies.

Jointly hosted by the state capital of Jakarta and South Sumatra provincial capital of Palembang, the 18th Asian Games, which will be held from August 18 to September 2, 2018, will be participated in by about 15 thousand athletes from 45 Asian countries who will compete in 42 sport events.

PT Indofood, a major Indonesian company involved in the food industry, has reinforced its support to the Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee (INASGOC) for the success of the four annual sporting events in Asia.

Indofood`s determination and passion in supporting the success of the great international sporting event will be implemented through instant noodle and dairy products with Asian Games special packaging.

In addition, the Special Jakarta Capital City Health Office has said that it would deploy hundreds of medical personnel for health services during the 2018 Asian Games.

A total of 688 medical personnel, including doctors and nurses, will be mobilized to serve and provide medical assistance to injured Asian Games participants.

The medical personnel, who will be deployed along with ambulance units in a number of Asian Games arena, have attended a `sport injury` training.

Furthermore, INASGOC has also officially received full support from the publicly listed PT Astra International, which will provide hundreds of operational vehicles to support the implementation of the four-yearly championships in Jakarta and Palembang.

PT Astra International is an Indonesia-based company with seven major business segments, namely automotive; financial services; heavy equipment and mining; agribusiness; infrastructure and logistics; information technology (IT); and property.

Its automotive segment includes the wholesale of cars, trucks, and motorcycles; the provision of after-sales services; and the manufacture of automotive components.

Astra`s support for the Asian Games was demonstrated through its cooperation with INASGOC signed by the two parties at Wisma Serbaguna Senayan in Jakarta on Wednesday.

"Today is special because Astra is part of the history of Indonesia`s economic development, and its contribution and support to the Asian Games are great," INASGOC Chairman Erick Thohir stated after signing the cooperation.

Astra is committed to enabling the smooth implementation of the Asian Games in terms of transportation by providing about 200 operational vehicles of various types.

The operational vehicles will be used by other stakeholders and leaders from 45 countries participating in Asia`s biggest sporting event.

So far, a total of 45 Asian countries have signed up to participate in the 2018 Asian Games by sending their athletes to the international sporting event in Jakarta and Palembang.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla remarked in Jakarta recently that all 45 countries in the Asian region have signed up for the event, with 15 thousand athletes and seven thousand officials, in total.

As the organizers are preparing for the arrival of a total of 15 thousand athletes, Kalla remarked that the committee was striving to adjust by screening participants.

After chairing an Asian Games preparatory meeting at the INASGOC Office in Senayan recently, the vice president noted that INASGOC had made preparations to receive foreign athletes due to the high interest shown by Asian countries in sending their athletes to the games.

Kalla explained that the number of countries that have confirmed their participation at the event demonstrates that they do not harbor security concerns in Indonesia.

"They have no worries," Kalla stated, adding that no country in the world is safe from the threat of terror, including the United States and England.

The Indonesian government and INASGOC will also increase security arrangements by deploying special teams from the National Defense Forces and National Police to counter possible terror threats.

Asian Games is also sponsored by multinational company Danone, which will make a breakthrough to ensure the successful implementation of this Asia`s largest four-year sports championship.

Corporate Communication Director of Danone Indonesia, Arif Mujahidin, has stated that in addition to being a sponsor, his company will also conduct social activities for people.

"We will reveal the details in July. We will educate the people and the other sides of this 2018 Asian Games by conducting the social activities that are overlooked," he revealed.

Comprising Early Life Nutrition (Nutricia dan Sarihusada) and Beverage Business Division (Danone-AQUA), Danone`s business group in Indonesia does not only support the 18th Asian Games but also focuses on early football coaching.

"In addition to supporting the Asian Games, of course, we will continue the AQUA DNC program (Danone Nation Cup), which is joined by more than 150 thousand children from over 10 thousand soccer schools in the country," he elaborated.

In order to carry out social activities, Danone in Indonesia is working with various stakeholders to disseminate information on nutrition through the "Isi Piringku" (Filling My Plates) Program, as well as providing education on healthy hydration that reaches thousands of Indonesian children.

Danone in Indonesia has 24 factories and employs some 15 thousand employees globally. Danone emphasizes the importance of cooperation to build a healthy society and a healthy planet through a slogan of "One Planet One Health."


Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Otniel Tamindael
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