As the "clock ticked down to the biggest sports event in the nation’s troubled history," Myanmar Sports Ministry Dir Htay Aung said that the country is "100 percent" ready for the Southeast Asian Games, according to Hla Hla Htay of the JAKARTA GLOBE. In a "major test of Myanmar’s infrastructure and organization, thousands of athletes, officials, media and visitors" descended for the 22-day multi-sport event on Sunday. Htay Aung: "We are 100 percent ready to hold the SEA Games." Aung said that "6,000 athletes and 3,000 journalists are due for the Games." In addition to the expected 9,000 athletes and journalists, Htay Aung said that "hundreds of thousands" of local fans will attend. Privately, however, "some officials are concerned about the preparations and potential problems, especially the number of hotel rooms to accommodate all the visitors" (JAKARTA GLOBE, 11/29). In Jakarta, Irawaty Wardany reported a "sports insider" said that financial issues have "caused some sport federations to do away with reserve players when they compete in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games" in December. Indonesian Gold Program Operational Head Surya Dharma said that his organization lacked the $5.1M "needed to prepare athletes for some multi-sport events this year" (JAKARTA POST, 11/28).
