SINGAPORE. Feb 1: The planning is finished and Singapore now intends to teat Its "information superhighway." reports AP

Called the National Information Infrastructure, the master plan is expected to turn this small city-state Into an "intelligent" Island, officials of the National Computer Board said Thursday.

The board is moving from an experimental stage to Installation of the first networks that will link computers in almost every home, office, factory and school.

"We are now ready to proceed and develop a number of services." said Robin Hu. the board’s director of planning and ’ application services. '

The concept is much like President Clinton’s National Information Infrastructure Agenda for the United States that was announced in September.

It comprises a web of com-municatlonq networks and computer databases that promise to change the way people live, work and Interact with each other.

Because Singapore has pnly 3 million people, an authoritar-

ian government and a head, start. It is like|y to be among the first countries to drive on the information superhighway

The goal of a computer-literate society with an ultramodern. electronic infrastructure was set in 1980 by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

" We must break through to a higher level of technology and achieve the competence to work that technology. Then we shall ensure sedurity in a competitive world." Lee said.

Prosperous Singapore has n^ natural resources except a strategic location and the skills of its people.

Unveiled two years ago. the master plan left little to chance. It includes development of a "technology corridor" as the focal version of Silicon Valley.

Planned In part to attract 1,000 foreign research scientists and engineers, the corridor is being given world-class research facilities In the southwestern part of this island near universities, the 9-year-oid Science Park aijd other support facilities.

Two billion Singapore dollars (1.25 billion US dollars) is bud geted for the research and development effort, including the global hunt for talent.

An official count In 1991 showed there were 4.276 research scientists and engineers, about 28 for every 10.000 workers. The target Is 40 per 10.000 workers by next year

Some 16.000 kilometers ( 9.942 miles ) of fiber-optic cable has been installed to support data and phone networks.

When Singaporeans talk about networking In their increasingly wired world, they have to be specific.

TradeNet deals with shipping. MedINet handles medical matters and LawNet serves the legal profession Then there are MasNet for banks and other financial institutions. BltNet for education and TechNel for research.

Cashless shopping Is done ihrough a system called NETs (Network for Electronic Transfers) Others link the ad vertislng business, air freight operators branchew of the armed services and other groups

New networks are launched regularly in a land with one of the moat Intense <«mputer eul turea in the world