Around 14,000 security personnel were deployed to ensure safety for theceremony, themed “Rising together”.
The ceremony featured drum and traditional martial art performances and aprocession of 320 flags of Malaysia which symbolised 32 million people in the countryand then 11 flags of 11 participating Southeast Asian nations.
Malaysia spent 105 million USD to host theevent, six times higher than the amount estimated in 2013. This is is the sixthtime Malaysia has hosted the regional games.
The Vietnamese delegation has 681 members,headed by Deputy Director of the General Department of Sports and PhysicalTraining Tran Duc Phan. 472 Vietnamese athletes will compete in 32 out of 38sports at the event.
The Vietnamese athletes will strive to pocket49-59 gold medals to rank in the top group at the biennial games.
SEA Games 2017 will wrap up on August 31, on theoccasion of the 60th National Day of Malaysia.-VNA