March inflation remains at 1.8 pct

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s inflation remained at 1.8 per cent in March 2024 with the index recording 132.2 points versus 129.9 in the same period last year, said the Department of Statistics (DOSM).

DOSM said the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (3.0 per cent); restaurant and accommodation services (3.0 per cent); personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services (2.6 per cent) and transport (1.3 per cent) sectors saw an increase in inflation in March.

“However, the increase has been offset by the other main group, which recorded a slower increase, namely health (2.1 per cent); food and beverages (F&B) (1.7 per cent) and recreation, sport and culture (1.5 per cent),” it said in a statement yesterday on the March 2024 Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase of 3.0 per cent compared with 2.7 per cent in February 2024 for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels was contributed by the expenditure class of water supply, which increased to 31.4 per cent in March 2024 compared to February 2024’s 28.8 per cent).

“Kedah has increased the water tariff rates for domestic category users starting in March 2024 compared to other states that have implemented the new tariff rates in February 2024,” he said.

Mohd Uzir said the F&B group, which contributes 29.8 per cent of the total CPI weight, recorded a slower increase of 1.7 per cent in March 2024 compared to 1.9 per cent in February 2024.

“The main subgroup of food at home increased to 0.3 per cent in March 2024 (February 2024: 0.5 per cent).

Meanwhile, the main subgroup of food away from home increased 3.5 per cent, the same rate as registered in February 2024.

“The expenditure class of cereals and cereal products increased by 2.0 per cent in March 2024 (February 2024: 2.5 per cent).

This was contributed by Basmati rice which increased slower at 0.4 per cent as compared with 1.0 per cent in February 2024,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chief statistician said rice flour rose to 9.6 per cent from 8.8 per cent in February 2024. He said the inflation for the expenditure class of milk, other dairy products and eggs registered a slower increase of 1.4 per cent in March 2024 from 2.3 per cent in the previous month.

“The slower increase was recorded by the expenditure item of fresh milk 2.4 per cent versus 2.5 per cent in February 2024,” he said.

Meanwhile, DOSM said the inflation for the expenditure class of oil and fats remained in the negative range at negative 0.1 per cent in March 2024 (February 2024: -0.2 per cent).

The inflation for the expenditure class of meat increased slower to 0.2 per cent in March 2024 (February 2024: 0.5 per cent).

It said chicken, the largest component, comprising 32.6 per cent of the expenditure class of meat, recorded a decline of negative 1.1 per cent (February 2024:-0.7 per cent).

“The March 2024 average price of standard chicken in Malaysia was RM10.28 per kilogramme compared with RM10.40 per kilogramme in March 2023 (February 2024: RM10.29),” it said.