Palembang, South Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The torch of the 26th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) arrived in Palembang, the venue of the event, in South Sumatra early on Monday, warmly welcomed by students and local communities.

South Sumatra governor Alex Noerdin welcomed the Tunas Wisesa 03 ship that carried the torch from Jakarta where the torch arrived from a tour of various regions in the country, accompanied by regional administration officials and local athletes.

A dance performance was staged to highlight the arrival of the ship at the local port in the Musi river area.

The atmosphere was joyous when SEA Games Torch envoy Icuk Sugiarto, former badminton champion, disembarked from the ship carrying the torch.

The torch was given to the INASOC chief Rahmat Gobel who then transferred it to Governor Alex Noerdin and from him to the local INASOC chief Mudai Madang and then to Palembang deputy mayor Romi Herton and finally to Abbas Akbar, the former national martial art athlete and SEA Games five times martial art champion before it is taken for a tour of 15 cities and districts in South Sumatra until November 11 when the event is scheduled to be officially opened.

Competitions of the 26th SEA Games be held in Palembang as well as in Jakarta until November 22.
(Uu.H-YH/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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