Next chapter will be boom or gloom

NAYPYIDAW- Naypyidaw's citizens did not wholeheartedly embrace the coming-out party of the SEA Games, although there were glimmers of hope that the US$400 million (S$500 million) spent on the event has not been completely wasted.

In one street, a giant screen, roughly the size of a badminton court, towered over a row of zinc-roofed shophouses.

Nearby, a group of children kicking a plastic ball around a dusty street paused to watch the action on the screen.

No translation was necessary for a visitor - the kids cheered and pointed enthusiastically at the Myanmar athlete slugging it out in a boxing bout.

In this moment of pure joy and hero-worship, the 27th SEA Games may have created a legacy that extends beyond the Dec 11-22 showpiece.

"If our youngsters are inspired and strive to be Myanmar sporting heroes one day, our job as hosts is done," Khin Maung Lwin, joint secretary general of the Myanmar Olympic Committee, told The Straits Times.

The 86 gold medals which the host won - second only to Thailand, who finished top with 107 - should provide sufficient encouragement to the country's young people.

Still, much work remains for Naypyidaw to avoid being tagged as a forgotten city after staging a major sporting event.

As the 6,000 athletes from 11 countries depart from Myanmar's "coming-out" party, the next task is to plan the festivities for its own people.

To boost its prestige and image, the former junta state had pumped in the cash to host the multi-sports extravaganza for the first time since 1969.

Modern venues such as the Wunna Theikdi sports complex - which comprises an outdoor stadium, three indoor arenas and an aquatic complex - were constructed in tandem with eight-lane expressways and high-speed Internet servers.

But, having struggled to fill up most venues during the Games itself, the prospect of them turning into dreaded white elephants looms large.

Even after offering free tickets for all events apart from football, organisers were forced to fill the stands with kids on school excursions.

While first-time Games hosts Vietnam (2003) and Laos (2009) had residents flocking to most competitions, Myanmar crowds were drawn only to traditional favourites such as boxing and football.

Hotel executive Waung Pyae Phyo said: "In the last few months, our media have focused mainly on our footballers and boxers, so people don't know much about other sports and are not bothered to find out more."

Singapore's Acting Minister for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin, who watched the final few days of competition, said it remains to be seen if Myanmar can avoid the struggles faced by Beijing in finding "meaningful use" for its sports facilities.

Since the 2008 Olympics, the iconic Bird's Nest Stadium has been described as a "museum piece" by some China politicians while the nearby Olympics aquatic centre has been turned into a water park to stay afloat.

Mr Tan, who is also an executive committee member of the Singapore National Olympic Council, said: "China had problems, even with a big population and a fairly strong sporting heritage.

"All Games hosts always face this challenge... but Myanmar have said they have plans to keep their venues sustainable."

Myanmar officials announced last week that the new stadiums in Naypyidaw will be used to house a sports university.

National sports competitions will also be staged there, perhaps to boost morale in a country where a third of the population lives in poverty.

The 30,000-capacity Zayyathiri Stadium - which boasts a first-rate football pitch - is expected to be the new home of top division outfit Naypyidaw FC, who currently play in a decrepit venue on the outskirts.

Club follower Zaw Than Aung, 38, said: "It wasn't attractive to be a footballer but, now, a young boy can see himself playing in a big stadium.

"This stadium could be just what the club needs to make a name for itself outside Myanmar."

The rest of Naypyidaw - one of the world's top 10 fastest-growing cities - hopes to follow suit.

Once a greenfield site in the shrubland, bungalows and hotels are sprouting up across the city, which was built in secret more than a decade ago to replace former capital Yangon.

Singapore's chef de mission Annabel Pennefather quipped that the sprawling city, with a population of just 925,000, made for a good holiday home.

Besides showcasing Myanmar to its neighbours, the Games also opened up its own people's eyes to other non-traditional sports.

At the popular Myo Ma street market, eight-year-old student Aun Min stares determinedly at a newspaper cutting of judo gold medallist Yan Naing Soe.

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