MALAYSIA’S manufacturing sector recorded a 3.7 per cent year-on-year increase in sales value in March 2025, reaching RM164.3 billion, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), driven largely by growth in food, electronics, and metal-related industries.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said this growth compared with a 4.7 per cent year-on-year increase to RM153.1 billion in February 2025.
“The growth in sales value in March 2025 was mainly driven by the food, beverages and tobacco sub-sector, which recorded a strong growth of 11.8 per cent year-on-year,” he said in DOSM’s Monthly Manufacturing Statistics report released Thursday.
He added that the electrical and electronics products sub-sector expanded by 7.4 per cent, while non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products grew by 4.0 per cent.
Export-oriented industries, which accounted for 70.9 per cent of total sales, rose by 4.6 per cent year-on-year in March. This was supported by an 8.0 per cent increase in the manufacture of computer, electronics and optical products, and a 7.5 per cent rise in rubber product manufacturing.
Domestic-oriented industries also grew, though more modestly, registering a 1.8 per cent increase compared to 2.3 per cent in February. On a monthly basis, export-oriented industries rebounded by 8.6 per cent, while domestic-oriented industries rose 4.2 per cent.
In terms of employment, 2.39 million people were engaged in the manufacturing sector in March, marking a 1.1 per cent year-on-year rise. Salaries and wages totalled RM8.4 billion, up 1.8 per cent from a year earlier, although both figures saw slight monthly declines.
“Subsequently, the sales value per employee went up to RM68,805 (2.6 per cent), while the average salaries and wages per employee was RM3,508, a 0.7 per cent increase year-on-year,” said Mohd Uzir.
For the first quarter of 2025, the sector’s total sales value reached RM475.6 billion—up 4.0 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The number of employees increased by 1.1 per cent, and total wages paid rose by 1.8 per cent to RM25.3 billion. The quarterly sales value per employee stood at RM199,108, a 2.9 per cent rise. - May 8, 2025
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