IT WAS a journey that began at dawn with the simple push of a button.

And by the time night fell yesterday, the three torches carrying the symbolic flame for the Asian Youth Games (AYG) had travelled the length of Singapore, in an elaborate relay not seen on these shores since the Republic last hosted the South-east Asia Games 16 years ago.

Back in 1993, the flame was lit at Sentosa using solar power. The power of the sun was harnessed yet again yesterday morning, this time at Kallang Waterfront.

Deputy Prime Minister and Singapore National Olympic Council president Teo Chee Hean, Olympic Council of Asia vice-president Habib Abdul Nabi Yousuf Macki and Ng Ser Miang, chairman of the Steering Committee for the Singapore Asian Youth Games Organising Committee, lit the flame when they joined hands on stage to activate a button on a solar-powered machine designed by polytechnic students.

From then on, it made its way across Singapore in three torches. The journey involved about 200 torch bearers, each running an average of about 300 metres as the relay snaked through the five districts across Singapore - Central Singapore, Southeast, Southwest, Northeast and Northwest.

Everywhere the torch went, it literally stopped traffic, as beefy security guards and traffic police riders made sure there was a clear path for the symbolic flame.

Amongst the torch-bearers was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who drew loud cheers and waves from passers-by when he took over relay duties at Central CDC.

While each torch weighed just over 1kg, carrying one was not that easy.

Said SIM University undergraduate Muhammad Nashrun, who also took part in the Central CDC relay leg: 'I was so afraid that I would stumble, especially when I had my eyes on the torch most of the time.'

By afternoon, it was Orchard Road's turn to host the event.

Starting at Tanglin Mall, the flame travelled down the bustling shopping strip to the Marina Bay area, carried by about 15 relay runners, each trailed by about 20 followers and flanked by a boisterous motorcade.

Additional reporting by Lin Xinyi and May Chen

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.