by NUR HANANI AZMAN / pic by BLOOMBERG

MALAYSIA’S manufacturing sales grew 11.6% in September 2021 to RM135.3 billion as compared to the same month in 2020 while the sales value increased by 6.9% as against the previous month, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia.

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the growth in sales value for this month was driven by the petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products subsector (29.2%) especially in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products industries.

He said the expansion was also attributed by the food, beverages and tobacco subsector (12%) supported by the manufacture of food products industries as well as the electrical and electronic products subsector (10.8%) mainly in the manufacture of computer, optical and electronic products.

“Sales value for export-oriented industries which accounted for 74% of total sales value recorded an increase of 15.9% (RM100.2 billion) while domestic-oriented industries posted an increment of 1.1% in September 2021 as compared to the same month in 2020.

“The growth of sales value for export-oriented industries was in line with the double-digit growth registered in the external trade exports and the price factors that remain favourable. On a month-on-month comparison, export and domestic-oriented industries recorded positive growth of 5.2% and 12.3% respectively,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The report on monthly manufacturing statistics September 2021 revealed that the total employees engaged in the manufacturing sector in September 2021 was 2,231,406 personnel, an increase of 1.6% as compared to 2,195,300 personnel in September 2020.

The increase was contributed by the electrical and electronic products (4.5%), petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (1.3%) and wood, furniture, paper products and printing (1.5%).

Meanwhile, salaries and wages paid amounted to RM7,478.8 million, increased by 3.6% or RM261.8 million in September 2021 as against the same month of the preceding year.

Besides that, the sales value per employee increased by 9.8% to record RM60,645 as compared with the same month in 2020 (September 2020: RM55,218).

The department stated that the average salaries and wages per employee was RM3,352 in September 2021.

Mohd Uzir said in the third quarter 2021, the sales value of the manufacturing sector grew 6.4% to RM381.8 billion as compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

“For the period of January to September 2021, the sales value of the manufacturing sector increased by 15.1% to RM1,127.8 billion as compared to the same period in 2020.

“The number of employees and salaries and wages recorded a growth of 1.6% and 2.5% respectively, 2.23 million persons and RM66.6 billion. Sales value per employee for the first nine months of 2021 also grew 13.2% to record RM505,404,” he added.