The company has secured a number of media companies to provide content, including Astro Malaysia and KRU Studios. YouTube said these partners are establishing a "strong presence" in order to distribute their content and increase their total audience.
Executive president of KRU Studios Norman Abdul Halim said the new site will create opportunities for advertisers who can "gain access to potential consumers in Malaysia and around the world".
For the launch week, YouTube has secured masthead advertisement on the YouTube Malaysia
home page from Dutch Lady, Malaysia Airlines, Maxis and Standard Chartered.
The new venture follows the success of the localised Philippines YouTube site, which has become the third most popular website in the country only months after its launch.
Adam Smith, director of product management for YouTube in the Asia-Pacific region, said, “Over the last few years Malaysians have been watching YouTube in huge numbers, and by launching a version of the site optimised for Malaysia today, we aim to create an even more relevant local YouTube experience.”
