Ung Hoat invited to SEA Games opening

JAKARTA (JP): Cambodian First Prime Minister Ung Huot has been invited to attend the SEA Games opening ceremony here on Oct. 11.

SEA Games organizing committee secretary Ekodjatmiko said Tuesday: "Ung is invited not in his capacity as Cambodian first prime minister, but as a SEA Games Federation council member."

Ekodjatmiko further said that an invitation had been sent and Ung might attend.

The organizer has invited 158 VIPs to the SEA Games opening ceremony. One hundred and seven of the invitees are from overseas.

"The first people we invited were former honorary presidents of the SEA Games Federation, Surono of Indonesia and Tan Sri Datuk Seri Hamzah of Malaysia," Ekodjatmiko said.

Other invitees are Christina M. Ramos Jalasco who is president of the Philippines NOC, Hung Hallard of Malaysia, president of the World Golf Council and J.A. Colzado of Belgium, president of the International Hockey Federation. Christina's father is Philippine President Fidel Ramos.

Representatives of ten Southest Asian countries will participate in the 19th SEA Games.

By Tuesday, 4,667 athletes and 1,934 officials, or a total 6,601 people had registered.

President Soeharto will open the SEA Games on Oct. 19 in Senayan Stadium.

Entertainment at opening ceremony will include the participating countries parade, the lighting of the torch, parachuting demonstrations, and performances by a marching band, a drum band, and singers Gita Nusantara.

The torch will depart from Borobudur temple, Central Java on Oct. 7. It will be lit by a huge magnifying glass and then carried by relay through Java to arrive in Jakarta on Oct. 10.

In front of Jakarta's City Hall, the torch will be passed from hand to hand by embassy representatives and public figures, including ministers, until it is handed over to Governor Surjadi Soedirdja.

The torch will then be relayed along Jl. M.H. Thamrin to Jl. Jend. Sudirman, and from there to Senayan Stadium.

The torch is expected to arrive at the stadium on Oct. 11 at 4 p.m. and Soeharto will officially open the biennial event at 7:55 p.m. (lnt)