KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's manufacturing sales rose 6.8 per cent year-on-year to RM126.5 billion in August, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
In its monthly manufacturing statistics report, DOSM said manufacturing sales value increased 5.5 per cent against the previous month, influenced by the opening of more economic sectors in line with the transition phase of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the growth in sales value for August was driven by the petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products sub-sector (31.4 per cent), especially in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products industries.
"The expansion was also attributed by the food, beverages and tobacco sub-sector (7.0 per cent) supported by the manufacture of food products industries as well as the electrical and electronics products sub-sector (6.9 per cent) mainly in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products industries," he said in a statement today.
DOSM said sales value for export-oriented industries accounted for 75.3 per cent of total sales value.
It posted an increase of 14.3 per cent (RM95.2 billion), while domestic-oriented industries declined 10.8 per cent YoY in August.
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 remained favourable.
On month-on-month comparison, DOSM said export and domestic-oriented industries recorded positive growth of 3.5 per cent and 12.2 per cent respectively.
Mohd Uzir said total employees engaged in the manufacturing sector in August increased 1.0 per cent YoY to 2.21 million persons from 2.19 million persons in August 2020.
The increase was contributed by the electrical and electronic products (4.3 per cent) and petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastics products (1.8 per cent).
The report also highlighted that salaries and wages paid amounted to RM7,230.1 million, up 1.7 per cent (RM117.5 million) over the same period last year.
Sales value per employee increased 5.7 per cent YoY to RM57,160 from RM54,066 recorded in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the average salaries and wages per employee stood at RM3,266 in August.
For the first eight months of 2021, the sales value of the manufacturing sector increased 15.5 per cent YoY to RM992.4 billion.
DOSM said the number of employees and salaries and wages posted between 1.0 per cent and 2.3 per cent growth, representing 2.21 million persons and RM59.2 billion respectively.
Sales value per employee for the first eight months of 2021 grew 14.3 per cent to RM448,314.