Ahmad Shabery Confident Of Indonesia's Ability To Host SEA Games

PUTRAJAYA, April 24 (Bernama) -- Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek expressed confidence in Indonesia's ability to host a successful SEA Games in November, 2011.

He added that less than seven months left, some had raised concern over the country's ability to play host to the regional game since there were claims that preparations were behind schedule.

"I have confidence in Indonesia's ability and believe everything will be ready for the games. Even when India were hosting the New Delhi Commonwealth Games, there was a lot of issues and concern raised as to whether the country was ready to host the event.

"There was also concern that venues will not be ready, but in the end everything was fine," he told reporters at the closing ceremony of the 2011 VT Sambathan Cup Futsal Carnival at the 1Malaysia Futsal court at Presint 18 here Sunday.

Last Wednesday, the Indonesian SEA Games Organising Committee (Inasoc) had announced that the Games host city, Palembang, the capital of North Sumatera, was ready to host the SEA Games from Nov 11 to 25, since the venues and facilities would be ready by July.

Apart from Palembang, Jakarta will also host part of the Games.

-- BERNAMA

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