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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to inaugurate the sports complex that will host most of the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Palembang — Jakabaring Sports City — on Thursday, just one day ahead of the official opening of the biennial tournament.

South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin told reporters on Wednesday that the President would officially open the Jakabaring Sports City at 3 p.m., attend the last rehearsal for the Games’ opening ceremony on the same day, and open the games the following day before taking off to Hawaii on Saturday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting.

“The President will stay here for two days. He will be leaving [Palembang] on Saturday at 8 a.m,” Alex said during a visit to the athletes’ village in the Jakabaring complex.

The officiating ceremony will take place on the banks of an artificial lake — the water skiing venue — near the shooting venue.

“This site was chosen because of its beautiful scenery with the lake on one side and the indoor shooting range, resembling a mall, on the other,” said Alex.

Local police have guaranteed “zero disturbances” to the event, saying they would deploy 2,800 police personnel to safeguard the overall running of the Games, including the President’s visit.

“The total number of security personnel will reach 5,400, including resources from the Public Order Office [Satpol PP] and the Indonesian Military [TNI],” South Sumatra Police Chief Insp. Gen. Dikdik Mulyana Arief said on the sidelines of a security rehearsal near the lake, adding that the security service would be operational from Nov. 8 to 25.

Meanwhile, in the hustle and bustle in securing the Games, which are dubbed as the biggest event to be held in Palembang’s history, some venues in the Jakabaring complex still need some finishing touches.

With around 11 sporting events due to take place within the complex, the tennis venue is the one most nearly completed.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the athletics venue was still unfinished. A vague small building, possibly
to be used as a security post, seemed to be abandoned, while some pennants for the Games to the
left-hand side of the track had not been erected.

Some roads near the petanque venue and athletes’ village were still covered with dust from the ongoing work. Rather than beautified with rows of plants and flowers, roadsides were covered with piles of dried dirt.

South Sumatra’s public works office head Rizal Abdullah promised all the work would be completed before the opening ceremony.

Thousands of journalists who will be covering the Games may not have the most comfortable time, as the main press center is only equipped with some chairs and a few television screens; there are no desks, computers or Internet access.

“It is our job to equip the press center with furniture. As for computers and Internet facilities, they are the responsibility of the central [Jakarta-based] organizer,” said Palembang organizer Muddai Maddang, adding that he would immediately order his staff to furnish the press center.