Malaysia’s manufacturing sales value in March surges to record RM144.6 billion
Malaysia’s manufacturing sales in March 2022 grew 13.9% to a record RM144.6 billion compared to the same month last year, driven by electrical and electronics products (25.9%) especially in the manufacture of computer, electronic & optical products.
The expansion was also attributed to the food, beverages & tobacco subsector (14.4%) supported by food products industries as well as petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastic products subsector (6.3%) mainly in coke and refined petroleum products industries, according to the Statistics Department.
Chief statistician Malaysia Datuk Sri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said sales value for export-oriented industries accounted for 72.2% of total sales value (16.8% increase) while domestic-oriented industries increased 7.1% in March 2022 compared to the same month in 2021. The growth of sales value for export-oriented industries was similar to external trade exports and price factors that remain favourable.
Meanwhile, manufacturing sales increased 9.8% from the previous month. On month-on-month comparison, export-oriented and domestic-oriented industries grew 11.2% and 6.4% respectively.
Uzir said that the total number of employees in the manufacturing sector in March 2022 increased 2% to 2.29 million persons compared to 2.23 million persons in March 2021.
Salaries and wages paid increased 4.4% amounting to RM7.84 billion in March 2022 compared to the preceding year. The sales value per employee increased by 11.2% to RM63,222 compared to RM56,831 in the same month in 2021. Average salaries and wages per employee were RM3,429 in March 2022.
In Q1’22, the sales value of the manufacturing sector grew 12.8% to RM415.3 billion compared to the same quarter previous year. The increase was driven by electrical & electronics products (17.6%), food, beverages & tobacco products (16.3%) and petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastics products (9.7%). The number of employees and salaries & wages rose 2.4% and 4.1% respectively in Q1’22.