PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - SPH Interactive International (SPH II) has entered into a joint venture for the first time with Star Publications (Malaysia) for the provision of digital media services in Malaysia.

SPH II is a fully owned subsidiary of Singapore's foremost media company Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), and Star Publications (Malaysia) is better known as the publisher of The Star, Malaysia's most widely read English daily.

The two are members of the Asia News Network, an alliance of 16 newspapers published in Asia that share editorial content with each other.

The joint venture is called 701Panduan. In Malay, panduan means to provide direction or guidance, which is what the company seeks to do, by helping the public find what they need on new media platforms. SPH II and Star Publications will each own 50 per cent of the company.

It will help users search for services such as retail outlets or restaurants using their mobile phones or computers.

Signing on behalf of SPH was one of SPH II's directors, Mr Leslie Fong, who is also SPH's senior executive vice-president of marketing.

Representing Star Publications was its chief operating officer Linda Ngiam.

SPH chief executive officer Alan Chan and Star Publications' chief executive officer, Datuk Steven Tan, were also present at the signing, which took place at the Malaysian daily's headquarters.

Mr Fong yesterday noted that Malaysia has one of the highest Internet penetration rates in South-east Asia, and added that SPH had found a very good partner with a strong brand name in the country.

Datin Ngiam, on her part, praised SPH, which she said had developed 'the right methodology to create a platform that could connect local businesses with local users in the most effective and relevant way'.