The Malaysian SEA Games Organising Committee (MASOC) does not allow contingents to the 29th SEA Games here from August 19-30, to cook and prepare their own meals.

MASOC chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong said this was to ensure safety, and prevent the athletes and officials from other countries from xperiencing ealth problems, such as food poisoning.

However, contingents who want to bring additional food should seek permission from the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia, which is managing the health aspects of the SEA Games.

"We do not allow the contingents to bring their own chefs. The food served at the athletes hotels is standardised, with all 10 hotels using the same menu provided by the National Sports Institute.

"We practise strict control over food preparation, because we do not want to be accused of preparing inappropriate food in the event of food poisoning, and so on," he told Bernama.

About 4,888 athletes from 11 Southeast Asian countries will be taking part in 404 events from 38 types of sports at the biennial games, where Malaysia as the host nation has the largest contingent with 876 athletes.

Zolkples said each country would be housed in a five-star hotel, except Berjaya Times Square Hotel, which would be shared by two countries due to its high capacity.

"Using hotels to place contingents is easier for the management, as they are equipped with quality food, television and air-conditioning, and much more cost-effective than setting up a standalone sports village.

"The SEA Games does not require a sports village to house all the athletes within a single perimeter. Previously, when Malaysia hosted the games in 2001 and 1989, we placed the athletes in hotels.

"However, for the Commonwealth Games, because there was requirement for a sports village, we built Vista Komanwel at the time.

"For the 1965 SEA Games, we used University of Malaya (to house the athletes) since rooms with fans was enough. But now, air conditioning is required for rooms and installing them is not cheap," he added.

-- BERNAMA