He said this was among the conditions Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had agreed to in order to get Sarawak to co-host the games, The Borneo Post reported.

“As you’ve seen, our Sukma (Malaysian Games) opening ceremony was exceptional; some even said it rivalled the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. So we already have a (high) standard.

“Sarawak can achieve this because when given a task, we approach it with professionalism and deliver success,” he was quoted as saying.

He also said co-hosting the SEA Games was an investment for the state government as the event could elevate the state’s prominence in Southeast Asia.

Abang Johari also said he expected the state-owned airline to be operational by the time the regional multi-sport event is held.