President officially dispatches Indonesian team for Hanoi SEA Games

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially dispatched the Indonesian team for the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, to be held on May 12-23, 2022.

During the team's dispatch ceremony at the Merdeka Palace here on Monday, the president called on the Indonesian team to bag as many medals as possible at the Southeast Asian multi- sport event. "We all Indonesian people want this team to clock the highest achievement, as many medals as possible, to make our country, the Indonesian nation, proud," he affirmed.

President Jokowi expects that Indonesia could secure the third, second, or even first place in the 31st Hanoi SEA Games to top the country's earlier achievements.

He recalled that Indonesia was placed fifth in the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore and the 2017 SEA Games in Malaysia. The country had then secured fourth place in the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.

"Indeed, it is not easy. However, I heard the selection had been conducted well, and I hope those achievements would be achieved," he stated.

On the same occasion, Minister of Youth and Sports, Zainudin Amali, noted that for the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam, Indonesia had dispatched a team of 778 people, comprising 499 athletes and 214 officials as well as 63 assistants. The team, led by Chef De Mission (CdM) Ferry Kono, will compete in 318 events and 32 sports.

The minister admitted that members of the team are far below the number for the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines in 2019, in which Indonesia had dispatched a team of 1,304 people comprising 841 athletes, 300 officials, and 163 assistants.

"Although the number is reduced, it is hoped that it can still be a benchmark for national sports development," Amali remarked.