Despite the looming 2009 elections, Golkar turned the age-old script of how to get business backing on its head Wednesday, putting the begging bowl away and instead using a meeting to ask invited businessmen what the party could do for them. "Usually if a political party invites businessmen, they wonder what's behind the invitation, or think about how much money they might have to donate this time.

Manado, N Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Ten foreign investment projects totaling US$37.93 million are carried out in North Sulawesi province this year, a local official has said. "There were 18 foreign investment programs totaling $69.48 million that were approved in 2006 but only 10 of them which was worth $37.93 million that have been realized in the following years," North Sulawesi Investment Coordinating and Regional Cooperation Body chairman FB Najoan said here Thursday.