The president wanted to witness the rehearsal to check Indonesia`s preparedness to host the biggest biennial sports event in the Asian region.
"God willing, I will watch the rehearsal," Yudhoyono said before presiding over a cabinet meeting at the presidential office here on Friday (Oct.28).
"It is my duty as host to look at the rehearsal, so that we are sure we are well prepared," Yudhoyono said, adding all Indonesian citizens should act as good hosts to the SEA Games participants.
According to the head of state, ensuring the success of the SEA Games was not only the responsibility of Palembang and Jakarta people but of all Indonesian people.
meanwhile, Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng said the success of the SEA Games was not only the responsibility of his ministry but of the whole Indonesian nation.
The SEA Games which will be participated in by thousands of athletes from eleven countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Vietnam and Indonesia as the host will take place from November 11 through 22, 2011.
The opening and closing ceremonies of the Sea Games are scheduled to be held in Palembang`s Jakabaring sports stadium.
During the SEA Games, a total of 542 gold medals would be contested in 44 sport branches. In Palembang, the SEA Games would be held at the Jakabaring sports complex. Competitions in half of the 44 sports branches would be held in Palembang, and the rest in Jakarta.
The 44 sport branches to be practiced in the 26th Sea Games in Jakarta and Palembang on November 11-22, 2011 are 1.Aquatics, 2. Archery, 3. Athletics, 4. Badminton, 5. Baseball, 6. Basketball, 7. Billiards & Snooker, 8. Bowling, 9. Boxing, 10. Bridge, 11. Canoeing, 12. Chess, 13. Cycling, 14. Equestrian, 15. Fencing, 16. Fin Swimming, 17. Football, 18. Futsal, 19. Golf, 20. Gymnastics, 21. Judo, 22. Karate, 23. Paragliding, 24. Pencak Silat, 25. Petanque, 26. Roller Sports, 27. Rowing, 28. Sailing, 29. Sepaktakraw, 30. Shorinji Kempo, 31. Shooting, 32. Softball, 33. Soft Tennis, 34. Table Tennis, 35. Taekwondo, 36. Tennis, 37. Traditional Boat Race, 38. Volleyball, 39. Vovinam, 40. Wall Climbing ,41. Water Ski, 42. Weightlifting, 43. Wrestling, and 44. Wushu.
Indonesia has several times hosted the Sea Games, namely the 10th Sea Games in 1979, the 15th Sea Games in 1987 and the 19th Sea Games in 1997.
In addition, the Youth and Sports minister Andi Mallarangeng said, Yudhoyono had also instructed all ministries and related institutions to fully support the SEA Games implementations.
The supports expected are among others from Foreign Affairs Ministry in dealing with visas issuance for foreign athletes.
Apart from that, the Finance Ministry was expected to giving the airport taxs exemption the athletes, amounting 150 thousand rupiahs per person.
Easy handling of immigration process for foreign athletes is also expected to happen at special counters of each gate of the airports arrival of Jakarta and Palembang.
The Transportation ministry was then asked to provide additional flights for the Palembang - Jakarta route.
In a bid to create the conducive situation relating to the SEA Games implementation, the Indonesian police have conducted special operations both in South Sumatra capital city of Palembang and Jakarta.
Regarding the preparedness of the SEA Games venues, Minister Mallarangeng pointed out that everything was ready and the current process is the arrangement of landscape, parks, roads, and installation of equipment at certain venues.
"We hope all can be prepared neatly at the end of this month, so the activities can focus on the preparation of athletes and also the preparation of the opening and closing ceremonies in Jakabaring," he said.
In Jakarta all venues are ready except for the rowing venue in West Java provincial area of Cipule which requires the completion of the venue.
Meanwhile, the Palembang city administration held a promotional event by holding a "Road to the SEA Games` XXVI Indonesia at one restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday.
Palembang mayor, Eddy Santana Putra at the promotion event said, "Road to the SEA Games" in Malaysia was aimed to lure many of people
in the neighboring country to visit the city of Palembang that will host the SEA Games.
The Jakabaring Sport City as the center of the SEA Games arena in Palembang is now ready for use, so he is optimistic that the biennial grand sports event in Southeast Asia can be successful. (*)
Reporter: By Bustanuddin
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
