KUALA LUMPUR (Jul 12): Malaysia's industrial production index (IPI) grew at a slower pace of 3.0% year-on-year (y-o-y) in May 2018, as compared to the 4.6% growth recorded in the previous month, supported by the increase in manufacturing and electricity output.

In a statement today, the Department of Statistics Malaysia said the growth of IPI in May was supported by the increase in the index of manufacturing segment by 4.1% and the index of electricity by 2.6%. Meanwhile, the index of mining posted a decrease of 0.5%.

“The manufacturing sector output rose by 4.1 per cent in May 2018, after recording a growth of 5.3 per cent in April 2018. The major subsectors which registered increases in May 2018 were: Electrical and Electronic Equipment Products (4.8%), Petroleum, Chemical, Rubber and Plastic Products (3.7%), and Non-Metallic Mineral Products, Basic Metals and Fabricated Metal Products (5.0%),” said the department.

The report also stated that the mining sector output decreased by 0.5% in May this year, due to the decrease in the index of Natural gas, which saw a decline of 4.8% y-o-y.