SEA Games opening steering committee chairman Helmi Yahya said here on Thursday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would attend
a rehearsal here in the afternoon and inaugurate Jakabaring Sports City as the integrated location of this biennial event, participated this time by 11 countries of Southeast Asia.
Helmi said the committee would present a number of surprises at the opening parade of the event.
Floats of the 11 participating countries will enliven the opening parade of the SEA Games in which Malaysia will showcase the miniature of Twin Tower, Vietnam with its Pagoda, Singapore with its lion statue, and Indonesia with its Borobudur temple and Komodo dragon.
"The floats of Indonesia are specially designed by dozens of art workers from Sukabumi, West Java," Helmi said, adding that there would be a lot of surprises in the SEA Games` opening parade.
Meanwhile, South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin confirmed that President Yudhoyono would attend the rehearsal of SEA Games opening ceremony on Thursday afternoon in Palembang.
"The president is scheduled to arrive here on Thursday afternoon to attend the rehearsal and then he will probably visit a number of venues," the governor said.
Alex Noerdin added that the head of state was also scheduled to open SEA Games at Gelora Sriwijaya Jakabaring sports stadium on Friday evening.
"The president has confirmed that he will be present at the SEA Games opening ceremony on Friday evening, and then on Saturday morning at 8 am he will leave for a state visit to Hawaii," the governor said. (*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
