KUALA LUMPUE: The Consumer Price Index rose by 1.5 per cent in September from the same month last year, led by food and non-alcoholic beverages.
The Statistics Department said the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels components of the CPI also contributed to the growth.
"The transport group made the downward contribution, down 5.5 per cent in September, following falls of 6.7 per cent and 9.9 per cent in August and July."
The average price of RON95 was RM1.70 per litre in September (down from RM1.75 in August) while RON97 petrol prices also decreased to RM2.05 in September (from RM2.10 in August).
On the food component, it said the increase was mostly due to fish and seafood (4.8 per cent increase), meat (4.2 per cent) and fruits (3.3 per cent).
The index for food away from home continued to rise and in September, it recorded a 3.4 per cent growth.
According to the Statistics Department, six states recorded higher increases for food and non-alcoholic beverage index above the national level.
They are Johor (3.8 per cent), Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory (3.7 per cent), Penang (3.6 per cent), Malacca (3.3 per cent) followed by Selangor, Putrajaya and Negeri Sembilan (3.1 per cent respectively).
The CPI for the nine months of the year registered a 2.2 per cent increase.