Sarawak among nine states with rise in January exports

KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak is among nine states with saw a rise in exports in January 2024, contributing to an 8.7 per cent, or RM9.8 billion, increase in Malaysia's total exports to RM122.43 billion, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

In a statement, chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase was attributed to the higher exports in the states of Johor (+RM5.6 billion), Selangor (+RM3.3 billion), Kedah (+RM1.2 billion), Sarawak (+RM1.2 billion), Perak (+RM640.1 million), Pahang (+RM609.8 million), Terengganu (+RM308.1 million),

Kuala Lumpur (+RM92.3 million) and Kelantan (+RM82.8 million).

“However, exports decreased in Penang by RM2.0 billion, Labuan (-RM1.1 billion), Sabah (-RM196.9 million), Melaka (-RM188.5 million), Negeri Sembilan (-RM130.7 million) and Perlis (-RM11.6 million),” he said.

Mohd Uzir said Penang, however, remained the top exporter with a 28.2 per cent share, followed by Johor (22.4 per cent), Selangor (18.0 per cent), Sarawak (8.7 per cent) and Kuala Lumpur (4.5 per cent).

Malaysia's total trade in January 2024 rebounded with a double-digit expansion of 13.3 per cent to RM234.73 billion year-on-year after registering the 10th consecutive month of contraction.

Total exports for the country edged up by 8.7 per cent to RM122.43 billion, while imports rose by 18.8 per cent to RM112.3 billion.

Looking at the performance of imports by state, Mohd Uzir said imports in January 2024 increased RM17.8 billion (+18.8 per cent) compared to the same month in 2023.

“The increase in imports was attributed by the higher imports in most states such as Johor (+RM7.0 billion), Selangor (+RM4.9 billion), Kuala Lumpur (+RM2.8 billion), Penang (+RM1.1 billion), Pahang (+RM739.1 million), Melaka (+RM618.3 million), Kedah (+RM445.1 million), Negeri Sembilan (+RM167.5 million), Terengganu (+RM153.8 million), Kelantan (+RM28.0 million), Sabah (+RM22.5 million) and Perlis (+RM6.7 million).

However, imports decreased in Sarawak by RM261.2 million, Labuan (-RM51.4 million) and Perak (-RM19.1 million).

Selangor continued to dominate Malaysia's imports with a share of 26.4 per cent, followed by Johor (23.7 per cent), Pulau Pinang (19.1 per cent), Kuala Lumpur (8.8 per cent) and Kedah (5.6 per cent). — Bernama