The 12th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games were held in Singapore from 28 May to 6 June 1983.[1] It was the second time that Singapore had hosted the games since the seventh edition in 1973 when it was known as the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games.[2] The 12th SEA Games comprised 18 sporting events involving 1,823 athletes and 508 officials from eight Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.[3] Singapore was represented in all 18 events by a contingent of 377 athletes.[4] The Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI) in Jurong – present-day Nanyang Technological University – served as the games village.[5]
The games were declared open by then President Devan Nair an hour behind schedule at the National Stadium on 28 May 1993 due to rainy weather.[6] Some 35,000 spectators were treated to a spectacular opening ceremony that featured a parachute display from 16 Singapore Armed Forces commandos, as well as mass song-and-dance performances by schoolchildren and youths. Former athlete Tan Eng Yoon lit the cauldron to signal the start of the games.[7] The games flame was ignited by then Second Deputy Prime Minister S. Rajaratnam in an earlier ceremony at the NTI on 25 May, and then transferred by a relay of runners to the National Stadium for the official opening.[8]
With a haul of 38 gold medals, 38 silvers and 58 bronzes, Singapore made fourth place in the overall medal standings behind Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.[9] Swimmer Junie Sng emerged the star athlete with 10 gold medals.[10] The games ended on 6 June with the closing ceremony held at the National Stadium. Brunei hosted the 13th edition of the games in 1985.[11]
References
1. SEA Games Federation Official. (2010). 12th SEA Games, 1983 Singapore. Retrieved October 28, 2014, from SEA Games Federation Office website: http://www.seagfoffice.org/games.php?y=12
2. A brief history of the games. (1983, May 22). The Straits Times, p. 36. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. 12th SEA Games Programme, Technical & Facilities Sub-Committee (1983). 12th South East Asia Games 1983: Technical record (pp. 14, 30) Singapore: 12th SEA Games Organising Committee. Call no.: RSING 796.0959 SOU.
4. 12th SEA Games Programme, Technical & Facilities Sub-Committee, 1983, p. 30.
5. Distance drawback (1983, May 5). The Straits Times, p. 37. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Hubbard, A. (1983, May 29). Singing in the rain. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. The Straits Times, 29 May 1983, p. 1.
8. Siow, P. (1983, May 26). Sparking the games to life. The Straits Times, p. 39. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
9. SEA Games Federation Official, 2010.
10. Miller, B. (1983, June 2). The last of Junie the first. The Straits Times, p. 43. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
11. Hakikat Rai. (1983, June 7). Just one gold, but we had a great time! The Straits Times, p. 38. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
The information in this article is valid as at 2014 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.