PT Sampoerna Strategic, owned by conglomerate PT Putera Sampoerna, plans to invest $8 million to develop sago palm plantations spanning 20,000 hectares and build a sago mill in Selat Panjang, Riau, an official from the Forestry Ministry said on Sunday. The mill set to open this year would produce sago starch, a raw material used to make noodles.

BKPM Downgrades Forecast For 2009 Investment Growth by Dion Bisara & Muhamad Al Azhari Nusa Dua, Bali. The National Coordinating Investment Board slashed its growth forecast for both foreign and local direct investment this year to 9 percent, down from 10.7 to 11.2 percent in its previous forecast, due to liquidity drying up in the global financial crisis.