Batam to Become Investment Center Thursday, 29 June, 2006 | 16:12 WIB TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government will turn the islands of Batam, Bintan and Karimun into investment centers. “Those areas will be opened up to companies that can contribute a direct impact to the economy,” said Boediono, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, yesterday (28/6). These direct impacts include job opportunities as well as new technology.