Johannesburg, South Africa
Tuesday, October 16, 2001

SIGNING OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN DIGITAL HUB SDN BHD OF MALAYSIA AND SOUTH AFRICA'S GAUTENG PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT'S BLUE IQ TO BENEFIT GAUTENG IT INDUSTRY

The Owner of Asia's First Open-ended Financial Services Portal, www.alphainvestmentbank.com, Digital Hub Sdn Bhd, an MSC Status Company from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has today signed an Agreement with the Gauteng Provincial Government, represented by Blue IQ. This signing will significantly boost Gauteng's information and communication technology and telecommunication industry.

Blue IQ, is the Gauteng Provincial Government of South Africa's recently established initiative and commitment to source funding, promote strategic investments and invigorate the economic environment. Blue IQ is a R1.7 billion {approximately RM0.8 billion} initiative to invest in 10 mega-projects in the areas of technology, tourism, transport and high value-added manufacturing, to creating a truly 'smart' province.

The Agreement will allows Blue IQ to have access to all information posted on Alphainvestmentbank.com. Www.alphainvestmentbank.com was developed by Digital Hub to enable entrepreneurs from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and start -up companies direct access to financial institutions, investors and other institutions seeking investment opportunities, along with a wide range of service providers.

Digital Hub's Managing Director, Jacqueline Tai said "At Digital Hub, we are extremely excited with this Agreement as it represents a huge leap in bridging the digital divide. Not only will IT companies in Gauteng benefit, but our other country partners in Alphainvestmentbank.com will also stand to reap huge benefits as the Agreement offers them new markets where they can invest safely in one of the fastest growing economic sectors in Africa".

The Agreement entitles Blue IQ to use the Alphainvestmentbank.com brand name and to be the licensed strategic partner of Digital Hub in Gauteng Province. Subscribed members of Blue IQ such as the Innovation Hub will have free access to the facilities available on the Alphainvestmentbank.com site.

Blue IQ will also have access to a wide range of professional corporate finance services, the promotion of Blue IQ projects through Alphainvestmentbank.com and Digital Hub's networks in South East Asia and worldwide exposure for the projects through the portal.

In addition to advisory and consulting services pertaining to Blue IQ projects that Digital Hub will offer, other benefits include attendance at the annual partnership conferences in Kuala Lumpur, training from Digital Hub on the usage of the system and assistance to Innovation Hub in sourcing information technology workers.

Signing of this Agreement is the result of the recent investment tour by the Gauteng Provincial Government, including Blue IQ to Malaysia to promote the Blue IQ initiative and its projects to potential investors.

Blue IQ's CEO, Mr Pradeep Maharaj, said "Businesses in the information technology and telecommunications industry will derive benefits from this signing of agreement as they will be exposed to a huge international database of investors and financial institutions willing to invest in their businesses".