Competitive and Fringe Events at 28th Southeast Asian Games

Mdm Speaker, we started planning for the Games three years ago. Preparations for the event are currently in full swing and progressing well. Over the past few weeks, we have carried out several events at the various competition venues to test-run our systems and processes.

Based on the experience of past Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, the focus during the Games tends to be on the athletes and the competitions. For this reason, we do not think it will be so useful to have a dedicated exhibition on Singapore's relation with our ASEAN neighbours. Instead, we will find different ways to highlight this throughout the Games. For example, it can be done in the Opening Ceremony or through social media platforms where we can promote ASEAN and our relations in ASEAN.

The SEA Games in Singapore will feature 36 sports and around 400 events, as well as about 10,000 athletes and officials. We are also planning to field Team Singapore's largest-ever contingent, with 748 athletes representing Singapore in the Games. Our athletes are training intensively. I have spoken to many of them. They have told me that they are determined to do their best and to do Singapore proud. In their preparatory and qualifying competitions in the run-up to the Games, many athletes have posted outstanding performances, achieved new personal bests and broken long-standing national records. What remains is for Singaporeans to come forward to attend the Games with family and friends to cheer for our Team Singapore athletes. While being gracious hosts to our Southeast Asian friends, let us also make the home-ground advantage for Team Singapore count by being there to cheer our athletes on.

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At the end of the day, it is the support and encouragement of all Singaporeans that will determine whether we have an extraordinary Games, one that is worthy of our Golden Jubilee.

Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister what is the status of ticket sales.

Mdm Speaker, the ticket sales are progressing well. It is somewhat uneven. There are some events which are very popular; I think if you are planning to buy a ticket for the Opening Ceremony, I am sorry to say that tickets have probably been sold out. And if you are going for very popular games like the water polo finals, that event is also sold out; swimming events, very popular. Certain events have been very popular. Some are still progressing slowly, steadily, partly because the fixtures have just been announced. For example, football fixtures were just announced; and some other sports, the fixtures had just been announced. So, it may take a bit more time.

But I would say that, based on past experience, compared to other games and sporting events, the ticket sales so far have been better than expected, compared to previous events. We will continue to encourage all Singaporeans to, like I said earlier, take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support Team Singapore on home ground in a new competition venue like the Sports Hub.

It is true that we will host the SEA Games again 20-something years later because all the Southeast Asian countries will take turns every two years. But we will never have another SEA Games hosted in our Golden Jubilee Year like this. So, this is a historic opportunity and I would encourage all Singaporeans to come and support Team Singapore.

Madam, some quick supplementary questions for the Minister.

The Sports Hub is touted to be the centrepiece of the SEA Games, so, I would like to ask about the status of the hybrid Desso pitch that was much talked about and whether it could stand the robust tests during the SEA Games. What are some of the marquee fringe activities and events that Singaporeans and participants can look out for? Of course, some of the events are already way over-sold. So, are there any plans to expand the capacity or even look at alternative sites so that it can accommodate more Singaporeans and participants to cheer

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Team Singapore on?

Madam, on the pitch of the Sports Hub at the National Stadium, as I have explained before, the SHPR, the Sports Hub consortium, has already put in place a lay-and-play solution, meaning to say, they are growing the grass somewhere else and they will be laying it on later when the pitch is needed. So, if you were to go to the National Stadium now, the entire pitch has been covered for the rehearsals and the Opening Ceremony. Naturally, when you open the covering, all the grass there would have died. It is only natural, because it is covered for days or weeks. But because we have a lay-and-play solution, the grass is being grown elsewhere. And I have seen the grass grown elsewhere. It is fine, it is luscious. The grass is good. So, the next step is when the grass is needed, it will be transferred over as part of this lay-and-play solution. The company that has been contracted will be in charge of doing that.

The hon Member also asked about marquee fringe events. Indeed, that is what we are planning to do, because many people come for these events not just for the games and the sports but also as part of a lifestyle experience. So, we will be having carnivals at the Sports Hub and also at Marina Bay. At Marina Bay, we are hosting all our sailing and dragon boating events. There will be a big carnival there. And in the Sports Hub where many events are going to be held, we are also going to have a sports carnival around the Sports Hub. So, hopefully, that will draw more people to come for these carnivals and then to support and watch our Team Singapore athletes in action.

On the over-subscribed events, whether or not we can find ways to broaden their viewing, I would say that we are doing it through various means. One, the events will be telecast live on TV. So, we can put up community screening sites for people to watch. We are also making it available on social media platforms, so you can download an app which will be announced very shortly and you can even watch the events live on your mobile platforms, whether it is a handphone or a mobile device. These will allow also for viewing of all the different sports.