Malaysian exec says Games good for RP

BACOLOD CITY —The coming Southeast Asian Games could well serve as a unifying factor to a nation deep in political crisis, according to the head of the Malaysian delegation currently in the country to inspect the venues for the games set November 27 to December 5.

Loo Beng Choo, secretary general of the Softball Confederation Asia and the vice president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia, dismissed apprehensions that the current controversies besetting the Philippines will have adverse effect on the SEA Games, saying that sports transcends barriers, including politics.

"In fact, the government should use the Games as a unifying factor," she stressed.

Loo, a member of a sports contingent from Singapore and Malaysia which inspected the facilities and accommodations for the Southeast Asian Games, expressed optimism that the Bacolod organizers will be able to comply with all the requirements before the November Games.

The group visited West Negros College Gym for the indoor volleyball event, St. La Salle Coliseum for boxing, University of St. La Salle ballfield for the beach volleyball, Paglaum Sports Complex for football and the closing ceremonies, Bacolod Convention Plaza Hotel for weightlifting and the Panaad Park and Stadium, also the venue for football and the opening ceremonies.

They were accompanied by former Philippine Sports Commission chair Carlos Tuason, Domeka Garamendi of the Philippine Football Federation, Rogelio Fortaleza of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines and Danilo Catingub of the Philippine Weightlifting Federation.

The Malaysian official said they were impressed with the progress of the preparation.

"From the airport, we can feel the excitement," she said, adding that it is very important to get the people involved in the preparation.

She also noted that spreading the events to the provinces so that local fans could witness high-caliber action among regional rivals was a good decision.

"Bacolod is doing a good job in hosting the games," she also said.

The Singaporean and Malaysian groups were the third and fourth contingents to look into the Bacolod preparations in three weeks.

Sports broadcasters from Thailand and Indonesia earlier came for a similar visit while Garamendi also accompanied Rasasingam Indran, a member of the competitions security committee of the Asian Football Confederation, in inspecting the football facilities.

Meanwhile, the Bacolod City Council is expected to approve the additional P6.7 million budget for the SEA Games hosting. It had earlier approved the budget of P3.7 million.

The approval of the additional allocation was delayed following the failure of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee to return for ratification the memorandum of agreement signed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia and the committee for the Bacolod hosting. - ABL