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ndonesia’s top chess players are not ready to embrace the negativity surrounding the preparations for the upcoming 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games next month, which have been mired by corruption allegations and fears that some venues will not be completed in time.

“We are not affected by the coverage, either mentally or in terms of overall preparations. Whatever happens, we must and will be ready to compete,” Grandmaster Susanto Megaranto told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the inaugural Indonesia Open Chess Championship in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The Indonesian SEA Games Organizing Committee (INASOC) has been under fire from the press over indications that it will not be able to complete its preparations in time for the start of the Games, which run from Nov. 11-22.

The Games have been hit by a string of setbacks, including construction delays, graft allegations centering on the athletes’ village in Palembang, and the possibility of last-minute relocations of some sporting events from Palembang to Jakarta, which is co-hosting the Games.

It has been announced that soccer and probably shooting will be moved to Jakarta, due to delays in construction work in Palembang.

Susanto, who has a chess Elo rating of 2,530, said that boosting the morale of the national athletes was critical before a major international event.

“Whoever has the greatest self-esteem will have a bigger chance of winning the competition. And that is what we have been practicing for,” said the 24-year-old.

In terms of technical ability, players in the national team have been practicing with computer programs set up to suit their respective skills. They have been preparing at their training camp in the Sudirman Park apartment complex in Central Jakarta in February.

In other events, Indonesian downhill cycling star Risa Suseanty said that she hoped the country would show professionalism in organizing the biennial event, which is expected to have the largest attendance of any SEA Games so far.

“To be able to continue training is the most important thing for athletes ahead of a competition,” Risa, a gold medalist at the 2009 SEA Games, said recently.

“The Games are a reflection on Indonesia. So, if the government and the Indonesian Sports Council [KONI] are confident about the event, then let’s support them.”

Meanwhile, Indonesian badminton player Markis Kido, who was a gold medalist at the Beijing Olympics, and 2007 SEA Games gold medalist in weightlifting Sandow Weldemar Nasution, both said that any major last-minute changes might affect athletes’ performances.

“We have been getting ready to peak at the time of the Games,” said Markis

The Games, which will be held in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra, will feature 42 sporting events, as well as cricket and the martial art tarung derajat as demonstration sports.

About 5,000 athletes and 5,000 officials from 11 countries have registered to participate in the Games.

Indonesia has registered a total of 1,063 athletes, and is aiming to not only succeed as the event’s organizer, but also to win more of the 155 gold medals on offer than any other nation.

This will be the fourth time Indonesia has hosted the Games in Jakarta, after previously hosting the event in 1979, 1987 and 1997. At those Games, Indonesia prevailed as the overall medals champion.