Sun Microsystems to Participate in the Local Industry Upgrading Programme

Sun Microsystems (Sun) is further enhancing its support to local IT companies with the newly launched Sun Local Industry Upgrading Programme (Sun LIUP). 2. The Sun LIUP is one of the initiatives under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)...

Singapore, 24 February 1999 | For Immediate Release

Sun Microsystems (Sun) is further enhancing its support to local IT companies with the newly launched Sun Local Industry Upgrading Programme (Sun LIUP).

The Sun LIUP is one of the initiatives under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the National Computer Board (NCB), Kent Ridge Digital Labs and Sun in May 1998 to develop Singapore into a Java Centre of Excellence. The MOU signified Sun's commitment to accelerate the growth of the IT industry in Singapore.

Sun LIUP

Under Sun LIUP, Sun will:

a) nurture and cultivate six to eight local IT companies to become world-class Java system integrators and solution providers;

b) provide market access and exposure to the global market through Sun Global Catalyst Program;

c) provide expertise to conduct technical seminars and updates on Java technology;

d) invest S$1.3 million into Sun LIUP.

Objectives of IT LIUP*

The IT LIUP, championed by the NCB in 1996, aims to accelerate the development of a vibrant IT industry in Singapore through cultivating stronger ties and win-win partnerships with leading IT multinational companies (MNCs). Besides leveraging on the MNCs' technological expertise, local IT companies can also benefit from the MNCs' worldwide marketing channels to reach out to the global market.

To date, including Sun, there are seven MNCs participating in the IT LIUP. The other six are: Apple, BMC Software, ILOG, Macromedia, Microsoft and Oracle.

Sun announces its LIUP Partners

During a press conference today, Sun announced that they will be recruiting local partners who are focused on Internet, Electronic Commerce and Java technologies from sectors of industry namely, Banking, Finance and Education. Whilst the company is still in the midst of recruiting more partners, Sun has already identified an impressive list of companies who will be participating in the Sun LIUP drive.

The first batch of local IT companies announced today as Sun LIUP partners are:

a) ecQuaria Technologies
b) Educom
c) Elixir Technologies
d) IT Re-engineering
e) Knowledge Engineering
f) SilkRoute Ventures
g) Stratech Systems
h) Telford Solutions
i) The Edge Consultants

These companies will work together to review their businesses and proceed to implement new measures to develop solutions and products by leveraging on Sun's technologies and expertise.

"IT LIUP has proven over to be an effective model that brings tremendous value to both the local IT companies as well as the MNCs. We are therefore pleased to welcome Sun into the NCB IT LIUP." said Mr Thomas Yeoh, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry), NCB.

"Today's announcement further underlines our commitment to Singapore by transferring our skills and knowledge into a few local companies to help them develop. For a start we will like to focus these companies to develop on Java product and application development, Internet and Electronic Commerce solutions." said Mr Lim Chin Hu, Managing Director - Singapore, Sun Singapore.

"We believe our partnership with Sun will further enhance SilkRoute's growing leadership in the E-commerce industry; and the LIUP initiative with Sun will enable SilkRoute to develop even more innovative E-commerce services for Asia's top companies," said Mr Wong Toon King, Founder and Chairman of the SilkRoute Group.

"The Sun LIUP is an excellent opportunity for startup companies like us with innovative products to leverage on a technology giant like Sun to reach the global market." said Dr Foong Wai Keong, President & CEO, ecQuaria Technologies. "Our focus and expertise in Java technology will put us in the lead position to benefit further from Sun's new breed of Java related technology. We envisage closer collaboration in future in building more innovative products and technology for the Java platform and greater synergy in our marketing and sales effort."

"The EDGE is excited to work with SUN on their initiative to increase the pace of development among IT companies through the IT LIUP. This alliance will provide The EDGE with an unmatched technological advantage over competitors in this highly competitive market. By working closely to integrate our products and solutions with SUN's technologies, we can provide our customers with a powerful combination of technology and a global market reach." said Mr Dinesh Singh Bhatia, The Edge Consultants' Managing Director.

Ms Lim Kwee Enn, Managing Director, Knowledge Engineering, added that the Sun LIUP will benefit Knowledge Engineering by giving the company access to technology, frameworks and development tools that provide a means of market access into new accounts and industries. The company will also benefit from Sun's marketing and sales activities in developing a market for their Java based products.

"Our collaboration with Sun is part of our on-going product and technology innovation and development strategy in the areas of new media, mobile computing and IT in Education. We plan to leverage on relevant Sun technologies, including Java, and tap on their international presence and network of partners. This will further enhance our in-house technology development capabilities and creative talents to produce exciting, innovative, worldclass products and services. An example will be our SmarTown.com Virtual Community - this will be a one-stop WWW site for IT and Education for the 21st Century for teachers, students, and parents for Asia and the world." said Dr David Chew, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Stratech Systems Pte Ltd.

"We are glad to note that Sun Microsystems has further enhanced their commitment in helping to develop their local industry partners with their participation in the NCB Local Industry Upgrading Programme. The local industry will definitely benefit from Sun Microsystems' participation while embarking on their transition to a knowledge-based economy. We would like to thank Sun Microsystems for their contribution through this programme in helping to accelerate the industry upgrading." said Mr Arthur Chan, Director, Business Development, Telford Solutions Pte Ltd.

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Jointly issued by the National Computer Board and Sun Microsystem

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*Note to the Editor:

The Local Industry Upgrading Programme (LIUP) was first formalised by the Singapore Economic Development Board in 1986 for the manufacturing sector. Since LIUP can clearly be extended to cover information technology (IT) related projects, the NCB LIUP was later established in 1996 to champion IT LIUP; serving as a one-stop agency for all IT LIUP projects.

About the National Computer Board

The National Computer Board (NCB) is a statutory board responsible for IT policy and development in Singapore. Its mission is to drive Singapore to excel in the information age by exploiting IT extensively to enhance our economic competitiveness and quality of life.

The National IT Authority The functions of the NCB include -  Spearheading the government's exploitation of IT to bring about new levels of efficiency and productivity in the public service? Developing the national information infrastructure and implementing IT2000 applications? Nurturing a vibrant IT industry? Coordinating national schemes to train IT manpower? Promoting IT appreciation among Singaporeans. In the past 17 years of national computerisation, Singapore has established a world-class IT infrastructure to support an increasingly sophisticated economy. The Singapore Civil Service is today one of the most highly computerised in the world. The World Competitiveness Yearbook has consistently rated Singapore among the top countries in the world in computer density, IT literacy and strategic exploitation of IT by businesses.

IT2000 - Realising the Intelligent Island The NCB spearheads the implementation of Singapore's national IT masterplan - IT2000. IT2000 seeks to develop Singapore into an Intelligent Island, where IT is pervasive in every aspect of its society.

Developing the IT Hub for the Asia Pacific Region

The NCB strives to make Singapore a world class exploiter and provider of IT products and services. It works closely with other government agencies to develop Singapore as an IT Hub for the Asia Pacific region, where Singapore will be a preferred home where IT-based products and services are conceived, developed and supplied to the region..

About Sun

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The Computer(TM)," has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNW), to its position as a leading provider of high quality hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $10.5 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com

Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, Solaris, Java, Jini and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All SPARC trademarks are used under license and are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc.