SINGAPORE — The organisers of the 28th Southeast Asian Games to be held in Singapore in 2015 have entered a detailed phase of preparations, said Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong.

He also said that some 15,000 volunteers will be roped in for the event.

In just 18 months’ time, Singapore will play host to the region’s biggest sporting spectacle, and organisers will begin to announce details of the event from mid-February next year.

Information about the Games logo, theme and mascot will be released then.

Mr Wong also said that tenders for accommodation during the Games are already being evaluated.

Visiting delegations will be housed in hotels in the city, instead of a traditional Games village.

Mr Wong said that Singaporeans can learn from the hosts of this year’s event — Myanmar — in the way that their people embraced and took ownership of the Games.

He said: “For us, if we can have a (SEA) Games where all of Singapore comes together to cheer our athletes to support the Games, to be gracious hosts and to see the celebration of sports in Singapore in 2015, then I am confident that we will truly have a successful SEA Games.”

Mr Wong was in Myanmar to watch Team Singapore in action, and he feels that the overall medal tally achieved by Singapore athletes was good considering the smaller size of the contingent compared to previous SEA Games.

He was impressed by the surprise medals achieved in sports that Singapore is not traditionally strong in, adding that it augurs well for the 2015 edition.

He said: “Performance in the Myanmar SEA Games also shows we are getting depth in terms of our sporting teams, because we have young ones who are coming up and they are now entering the games and some are competing for the first time, and still doing very well.” CHANNEL NEWSASIA