ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED

(Incorporated in the Republic of Singapore on 27 March 1999)

Invitation in respect of 23,000,000 New Shares of $0.10 each comprising:-

(1) 6,000,000 Offer Shares at $0.88 for each Offer Share by way of public offer; and

(2) 17,000,000 Placement Shares by way of placement, comprising:-

 (i) a minimum of 11,500,000 Placement Shares at $0.88 for each Placement Share; and

(ii) up to 5,500,000 Reserved Shares at $0.88 for each Reserved Share reserved for the employees and business associates of the Group,

 payable in full on application

The Board of Directors of ASTI Holdings Limited ("ASTI" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that at the close of the Application List at 12.00 noon on 6 July 1999, there were 150,593 applications for the 6,000,000 Offer Shares available to the public for subscription. To date, this initial public offering has attracted the largest number of applications in 1999. In total, these applicants applied for 1,602,914,000 Offer Shares, with application moneys received amounting to approximately $1.41 billion.

Based on the 6,000,000 Offer Shares available to the public for subscription, the offer to the public is approximately 267.2 times subscribed.

To ensure a reasonable spread of shareholders of the Company, the Board of Directors of the Company has decided on the following basis of allotment:-

Of the 17,000,000 Placement Shares, 16,922,000 Placement Shares were successfully subscribed for. Accordingly, the balance of 78,000 Placement Shares were included as Offer Shares for subscription by the public. The spread of placees is as follows:-

The 5,500,000 Reserved Shares were also fully taken up by the employees and others who have contributed to the success of the Group. The spread of Reserved Shares applicants is as follows:-

The Company’s Shares will commence trading on a "ready" basis on 8 July 1999. There will be NO trading on a "when issued" basis.

The return of unsuccessful applications using printed Application Forms by ordinary post, together with the full amount of the application moneys (without interest or any share of revenue earned or other benefit arising therefrom), will commence today and is expected to be completed by 9 July 1999. For unsuccessful Electronic Applications, it is expected that the full amount of the application moneys (without interest or any share of revenue earned or other benefit arising therefrom) will be credited to the applicants’ accounts with their Participating Banks (as defined in the Prospectus dated 28 June 1999) within three market days after the close of the Application List.

In respect of partially successful applications, the balance of the application moneys is expected to be refunded (without any interest or any share of revenue earned or other benefit arising therefrom) to the applicants, by ordinary post at their own risk (in the case of applications made using printed Application Forms) or by being automatically credited to the applicants’ accounts with their Participating Banks (in the case of Electronic Applications) within 14 days after the close of the Application List.

The Board of Directors of ASTI is pleased to advise that CPF members may, with effect from the date on which the Company’s Shares are traded as indicated above, use their CPF savings (subject to the 20 per cent. sub-limit) to purchase the Company’s Shares under and subject to the requirements of the CPF Investment Scheme.

The Company wishes to thank the public who have applied for the Offer Shares and the Placement Shares, the relevant authorities and all who have helped in one way or another in the Company’s public offering, for their support and assistance.

Issued by
The Development Bank of Singapore Ltd

For and on behalf of
ASTI Holdings Limited