SINGAPORE, June 4 — With silat set to make its debut at the Asian Games (ASIAD) in 2018 in Indonesia, Singapore Silat Federation (PERSISI) chief executive officer Sheik Alau’ddin believes the 28th South-east Asian (SEA) Games will be a critical launchpad for the traditional martial art.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the sport would be part of the Asian Games, the continent’s biggest multi-sport event which is second only in scale to the Olympic Games.

Singapore’s 14-strong silat squad will start their SEA Games campaign on June 10, and contest in 13 categories.

PERSISI has set a target of winning two gold medals at the SEA Games, but Sheik, himself a former national athlete and two-time world champion, wants the Games to act as a platform for the upcoming ASIAD.

“It (SEA Games) will be very important as the Asian Games is in 2018. These Games can be used to see if the athletes are hungry and if athletes deserve to be in the ‘A’ team,” said Sheik, who won the world championship in 1990 and 1994.

“Of course, there is another SEA Games in 2017 (in Malaysia), but that is too close to the Asian Games. Along the way, we will have World Games, Martial Art Games ... These will also be platforms to see if they deserve to be in the ‘A’ team.”

With the SEA Games part of the build-up to SG50, Sheik added: “A lot is at stake because this (SEA Games) is like a mini-Olympics. For those who make it, their names will be part of the SG50 (celebrations), and everyone will remember them.”

The four-day SEA Games silat competition will run until June 14 at Expo Hall 2, and is expected to draw 107 athletes.

At the last SEA Games in Myanmar two years ago, Singapore finished sixth overall in the pencak silat competition with one gold and two bronze medals. Indonesia, which topped the standings at the Myanmar Games with four gold, four silver and three bronze medals, are again favourites to dominate the competition.

Among those regarded as a gold-medal contender for hosts Singapore is reigning world champion Sheik Farhan, who will compete in the men’s Class H (80-85kg) category.

Silat will be one of six non-Olympic sports to feature at the 2018 ASIAD, and Sheik revealed he has proposed the International Silat Federation include all the sport’s categories, which number 22.

“The more categories, the better it will be for Singapore although we won’t be competing in all,” he said. “I am not sure if we can send (athletes to) all categories.”

And Sheik is hopeful a strong showing at this SEA Games will help expand the sport’s talent base here, as the national body aims to make an impression at the 2018 Asian Games.

“We want more golds and want silat to contribute some part (for more golds), but it is never easy to get golds. The last one we got in Singapore was 22 years back when my friend and I won two golds, but we had seven finalists — and that was a full 22 categories,” he said. ― Today