Huge crowd cheers SEA Games torch
JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Jakarta yesterday to welcome the 19th SEA Games torch, paraded in an ebullient 15-kilometer procession.
Setting out from South Jakarta mayoralty office on Jl. Trunojoyo, the torch went to City Hall in Central Jakarta followed by a parade of cultural performances.
A 10-member cavalry squad who rode Australian-bred Torrobrat horses led the pack of torch bearers. The torch relay was performed by 10 Army members who carried the flame from the mayoralty to the penultimate stop in front of the United States Embassy on Jl. Merdeka Selatan.
There Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman and Minister of Mines and Energy Ida Bagus Sudjana took over the job and carried the torch to City Hall.
Ambassadors of all nine visiting teams flanked the two VIPs into the hall, where the torch was placed overnight for today's opening ceremony at Senayan Stadium.
Mayor Pradjoko led the torch's sending-off ceremony at the South Jakarta mayoralty hall.
"We picked the best runners from the Army so that they could carry while at the same time guard the torch en route to City Hall," he said.
He praised the people of South Jakarta for their participation in the ceremony, saying they helped spread the SEA Games' spirit throughout the city, no matter how much it cost them.
The procession band left the mayoralty office amid a traditional tanjidor music performance and drum band ensemble performed by students of the Mexican primary school.
A 100-meter banner carrying children's paintings was extended along the road's median fence, in front of the mayoralty office.
The torch relay took two-minutes break for changeover at 13 stops along the route.
On Jl. Rasuna Said, 11 decorated floats, 10 of which represented the Games' participating countries, joined the procession. The other float carried a giant statue of the Games' mascot, Hanoman.
They followed the torch in alphabetical order of country.
The floats depicted the main features of the participating countries, such as the famous lion statue on Singapore's float and Borobudur temple on Indonesia's float.
"I am looking forward to attending the opening ceremony," Sukarno, a street vendor, said, adding that he was an Indonesian soccer team fan. "I am sure Indonesia will win the title," he said.
City Hall
The VIP torch bearers only ran 500 meters of the course to City Hall. It was Sudjana who carried the torch first, before handing it over to Hayono at the City Hall gate.
Reaching the gate of the governor's office, Hayono took the torch and handed it to newly installed Governor Sutiyoso.
At the Balai Agung entrance, more traditional music, Gambang Kromong, was performed by staff of the Municipal Culture and Education office.
Also attending the ceremony were Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata. (04/07/10)