Launch of Sun Local Industry Upgrading Programme

Mr Thomas Yeoh, Assistant Chief Executive, Industry National Computer Board Address - Launch of Sun Local Industry Upgrading Programme

Mr Thomas Yeoh, Assistant Chief Executive, Industry
National Computer Board
Address - Launch of Sun Local Industry Upgrading Programme
Singapore, 24 February 1999

1. Good morning everyone. I'm very happy to be here at the launch of Sun Local Industry Upgrading Programme, also known in short as LIUP.

NCB LIUP as an Extension of EDB LIUP to Focus on IT industry

2. LIUP was first established by the Economic Development Board in 1986 to focus on upgrading our local manufacturing industry. In 1996, the NCB set out to formalize the IT LIUP with the aim of replicating the success of manufacturing LIUP by extending it to cover the IT industry in Singapore.

3. Since then, NCB LIUP has been warmly received by IT MNCs and local companies alike. At present, the IT MNCs that are participating include familiar names like Microsoft, Oracle, Apple, BMC, ILOG and Macromedia. 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.

NCB's Support in Sun LIUP

4. We expect Sun's participation to add much value to the programme. This is because IT developers around the world are rapidly adopting Java technology. Our local developers need to stay at the cutting edge of Java skills, and we are
excited that through NCB's IT LIUP, Sun will help the local IT industry stay at the forefront of this important technology.

Sun-KRDL-NCB MOU

5. Sun's participation in the IT LIUP is one of a number of initiatives that Sun is carrying out together with Kent Ridge Digital Labs (KRDL) and the NCB. Together, we are working towards transforming Singapore into a centre of Java
innovation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Moving Forward

6. In closing, I would like to stress that for Singapore to continue to sharpen her level of competitiveness in the regional and even global arena, we must constantly strive to move up the value chain and be engaged in activities of higher
value-add. These activities, especially the development of new indigenous products and services, would help local IT companies expand beyond our domestic market.

7. In addition, the presence of a strong local developer community would help Singapore become an attractive and viable location for foreign IT MNCs to base their operations and activities to cater for the Asia-Pacific market.

8. With this, I would like to wish you success in your endeavors in this new year.