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Commonwealth Games Security: Malaysia Holding On To India's Assurance

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is still holding on to the assurance given by the Indian government in regard to the safety and security of Malaysian athletes who will be competing in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi next month, said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

However, as an added precaution, he said the national contingent's 201 athletes and 95 officials would be accompanied by security officials from the Home Ministry.

"But this does not mean that the Malaysian government does not have confidence in the Indian government.

"We are just taking added precautions and all our officials will also be reminded to give more attention to security aspects," he told reporters after launching his ministry's Sports Industry Laboratory at the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex here Wednesday.

Shabery was asked to comment on the security of Malaysian athletes at the Games in the wake of the shooting incident outside the Jama Mosque last week in the Indian capital where two Taiwanese tourists were injured and Tuesday's incident in which 20 people sustained injuries after a footbridge leading to the Games village collapsed.

Besides terrorist threats, continues monsoon rains, the plague of corruption and delays in completion of Games infrastructure, the Indian media had also reported that dengue posed a serious threat with 1,900 cases recorded in New Delhi.

Ahmad Shabery said people should not solely focus on negative news but also look at the positive aspects, like the foreign media reporting about the satisfaction expressed by Australia's cricket team about the preparations for the Games.

"I believe India will redouble its efforts to ensure all security and safety aspects are taken care of as it involves their reputation, besides not wanting to be blacklisted as a country that is unsafe to host major sports meets.

"It is also possible the Opposition there are making a hue-and-cry about such issues because they want to topple the government in the next election," he said.

He added that some countries had sent advance survey teams to check the situation in New Delhi for themselves and did not dismiss the possibility that Malaysia might do the same.

The New Delhi Commonwealth Games will be held from Oct 3 to 14.

-- BERNAMA

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