Asia not ready for Y2K bug

Asia not ready for Y2K bug

TOKYO (Reuters): Asia Pacific nations and regions are falling
behind schedule in preparations to deal with the year 2000
computer millennium bug, the Japan External Trade Organization
(JETRO) said in a report on Tuesday.

The report was based on a survey of public and private sectors
in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, South Korea,
the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand conducted in
August and September.

The report said that the survey showed that preparations have
significantly progressed compared with a similar survey taken in
February, but "steps to update infrastructure and complete other
Y2K measures appear to be behind schedule in many cases."

The survey found that financial and utility sectors were best
prepared to deal with millennium computer problems, while
hospitals, other medical facilities and unlisted private firms
were the least prepared.

An increasing number of financial firms were considering
suspending operations over the New Year holiday, while some
airline companies are considering canceling or rescheduling
flights during the date changeover, the report said.