Manufacturing sector sales go up 6.5% to RM148 bil in Jan 2023

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s manufacturing sector’s sales value rose modestly by 6.5% to RM148 billion in January 2023 compared with 8.8% in the preceding month, said the Statistics Department.

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the continuous positive momentum was fortified by the double-digit growth in transport equipment and other manufactures (14%) as well as the petroleum, chemical, rubber, and plastic products (10.1%) sub-sectors.

“Nonetheless, the sales value registered in January was the lowest recorded since May 2022,” he said in a statement today.

He said the sales value of export-oriented industries, which contributed 71.3% of total sales, posted a slower growth of 6.9% in January against 9.2% in December 2022.

“The moderate performance was also in line with the deceleration in exports of manufactured products during the month,” he said.

 A similar trend was recorded in the domestic-oriented industries’ sales value, which moderated to 5.6% from 7.7% growth in the preceding month.

“In comparison with the previous month, sales value for export-oriented industries continued to decline for four consecutive months, registering a negative 6.9% in January, while domestic-oriented industries dipped by 1.6%,” he added.

Commenting on the number of employees, Uzir said 2.34 million persons were engaged in the manufacturing sector in January, an increase of 3% compared with 2.27 million persons registered in December 2022: 3.4%.

The increment was mainly attributable to the rise in the number of employees in the food, beverages & tobacco products (4.7%); electrical and electronic products (4.3%); and petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastic products (2.1%) sub-sectors.

Resembling the positive trend in employment, the salaries and wages paid in the manufacturing sector rose 4%, totalling RM8.18 billion in January 2023 with the average monthly salaries and wages per employee of RM3,494, posting an increase of 1.0% year-on-year, he said.

He added that the sales value per employee was RM63,200, which grew by 3.4% compared with the same month in the preceding year. – Bernama, March 13, 2023