KUALA LUMPUR (May 23): Malaysia's inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), increased 1.4% in April 2018 from a year earlier, on costlier food and non-alcoholic beverages, besides higher expenses at restaurants and hotels.

Statistics Department chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement today that major CPI groups which recorded increases included the health and education segments.

"Among major groups which recorded increases were the indices for food & non-alcoholic beverages (+2.6 per cent), restaurants and hotels (+2.2 per cent), health (+2.1 per cent), housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels (+2.0 per cent), furnishings, household equipment & routine household maintenance (+1.8 per cent) and education (+1.1 per cent)," Mohd Uzir said.
 
He said “the overall index was also affected by the increase in the transport group by 0.4 per cent in April 2018, as compared to the 1.5 per cent decrease recorded in March 2018. Meanwhile, the CPI for the period January-April 2018 increased 1.7 per cent, as compared to the same month last year.” 

In March 2018, the CPI increased 1.3% from a year earlier, according to the department.