80 percent work on SEA Games venues completed - Khairy

Construction work and upgrading of venues for the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games (KL 2017) has reached 80 percent.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the National Shooting Range in Subang has been completed while the other venues will be completed soon.

"All preparation for hosting KL 2017 is on track," he told reporters after chairing the Malaysian SEA Games Organising Committee (MASOC) meeting today.

The National Velodrome in Nilai (cycling), MABA Stadium (basketball) and Putrajaya Water Sports Complex (triathlon, water skiing and surfboarding) will be handed over to MASOC this month.

The National Sailing Centre in Langkawi (sailing), Pudu Ulu Recreation Park in Cheras (petanque), Kinrara Oval (cricket) and Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium (rugby) are expected to be completed next month.

Khairy said the ministry has started registration of athletes for KL 2017 online via the respective National Olympic Councils (NOC).

"We received reports of hotel rooms booked and transportation of athletes and officials in terms of buses, security, traffic, etc."

Present at the meeting were Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar; MASOC CEO, Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong and OCM secretary-general Datuk Low Beng Choo.

The 29th SEA Games will be held from Aug 19-30 while the 9th ASEAN Para Games will be held from Sept 17-23. --Bernama