Unity the message as SEAG opens

Unity the message as SEAG opens

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Manila

The runup has not been smooth, but it was all right on the
night as the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games officially opened
in Manila with a message of regional unity on Sunday.

The first day of competition also brought Indonesia its first
gold medal, thanks to the men's and women's kumite teams
competing in Cebu, one of five main venues around the Philippine
archipelago for the 10-day Games.

The focus turned to Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park in the
early evening, with fireworks lighting up the park and nearby
Rizal Memorial Park, where many of the competitions are being
held.

Former world men's singles champion Hendrawan, now a coach,
was the flag bearer for the Indonesian contingent.

Representatives of the more than 5,000 athletes from 11
nations -- representing the members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations plus Timor Leste -- filed into the
stadium as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo did the honors.

A highlight was the parade of some of the great names in the
host country's sporting history, including 1980s sprint queen
Lydia de Vega, seven-time SEA Games swimming gold medalist Akiko
Thomson and world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

As is tradition, the organizers chose to accentuate the
positive aspects of bringing the best athletes together from the
region, especially after gripes about unfinished venues and
heightened security fears.

"Welcome all the participants to the SEA Games. Enjoy the
union. We are all brothers in the region," Jose Cojuangco, Jr,
the president of the Philippines Southeast Asian Games Organizing
Committee (Philsoc), said in his address.

The message of brotherhood is also carried in the Games' theme
of "One Heritage, One Southeast Asia".

Arroyo also called sports "a unifying element," saying it had
the potential to bring peace to the region and to her divided
nation, the Associated Press reported. Security was tightened
with 17,000 security officers in Manila, said to safeguard the
thousands of guests.

In a another gesture of unity, the president and leaders of
the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were in
attendance during the opening ceremony.

"This will show the world that we are for peace and the MILF's
strong commitment to peace talks," MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu was
quoted as saying in Sunday's Philippine Star.

As Arroyo declared the Games open, the chase for 439 gold, 439
silver and 590 bronze medals in 40 sports began. Vietnam won the
overall medal standings in 2003 when it hosted the event, one of
four of five host countries to achieve that feat since 1997.

However, a small portion of medals were distributed on Sunday
with some sports already entering the final stage.

As of 9 p.m, 12 golds had been distributed, with Malaysia and
the host vying for the top spot after good showings in athletics
and dancesport.

However, the billiards and snooker competition had yet to send
in their results while the finals in chess were delayed until
Monday.

The Philippines took advantage of the debut of dancesport for
a one-two finish in both Latin America and standard events.
Athletics and diving won one gold apiece for the hosts.