KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Industrial Production Index (IPI) grew by 0.6% in January compared with the same month last year, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the growth was driven by a 2.1% increase in the manufacturing index.
Meanwhile, the mining and electricity indices declined by 3.9% and 0.01% respectively.
“The manufacturing sector output rose by 2.1% in January after recording a growth of 3.4% in December 2019,” he said in a report released today.
Mohd Uzir said major sub-sectors which supported the increase in January were the non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products, which grew by 3.9%; petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (3.6%) and electrical and electronics products (3.2%).
However, he said the mining sector output fell 3.9% y-o-y due to the 5.9% decrease in the crude oil and condensate index and the 2.3% decline in the natural gas index.
He added that the electricity sector output edged down 0.01% y-o-y.
In another report, Mohd Uzir said Malaysia’s manufacturing sales grew 2.6% y-o-y in January to RM118.2 bil from RM115.2 bil last year.
“The y-o-y growth was driven by the increase in petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (+6.9%), non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products (+4.7%) and electrical and electronics products (+4.3%),” he added.
Mohd Uzir said total employees engaged in the manufacturing sector in January increased 1.4% y-o-y to 2,280,951 persons from 2,248,392 persons last year.
Salaries and wages paid amounted to RM7.66 bil, up 4.1% y-o-y or RM301.3 mil.
“The sales value per employee grew by 1.2% y-o-y to RM51,831 while the average salaries and wages per employee was recorded at RM3,360 in January,” he added.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade sales value increased 5.4% to RM114.8 bil in January compared with the same month a year ago.
Mohd Uzir attributed the growth to retail trade, which grew by 6.7% y-o-y or RM2.9 bil.
“Similarly, the sales value of wholesale trade rose by 5.2% y-o-y (RM2.8 bil) to RM55.6 bil and that of motor vehicles expanded by 1% (RM0.1 bil), respectively.
“The expansion in wholesale trade was supported by other specialised wholesale (7.5%), wholesale of household goods (6.6%), wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco (5.8%) and wholesale on a fee or contract basis (5.3%),” he said. – March 13, 2020, Bernama
