Huge crowd cheers SEA Games torch

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)