KUALA LUMPUR (March 24): Malaysia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.1% to 122.5 in February 2021 from 122.4 a year earlier.

In a statement today, Chief Statistician Datuk Sri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase in the overall index was driven by: the index of miscellaneous goods and services (1.6%); food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.4%); alcohol beverages and tobacco (0.7%); health (0.7%); furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.3%); recreation services and culture (0.1%); and education (0.1%) — which contributed 50.7% of overall weight.

He said out of 552 items covered in the CPI, 326 items showed an increase in February 2021.

“On the contrary, 147 items declined, while 79 items were unchanged.

“Based on the performance of 552 items by category of goods and services, non-durable goods (296 items) was the category that experienced the most price increase with 201 items, [and] 79 items decreased and 16 items were unchanged, as compared to services, semi-durable goods and durable goods,” he said.

Nevertheless, Mohd Uzir said transport decreased by 2% to 111.6, compared with 113.9 in the corresponding month of the preceding year.

He said this group contributed 14.6% of CPI weight.

Similarly, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels declined by 0.8%, followed by clothing and footwear (-0.4%) and restaurants and hotels (-0.3%), he said.

Mohd Uzir said that the CPI for the period of January to February decreased 0.1%, compared to the same period last year.

He said that on a monthly basis, the CPI increased by 0.3%, compared to January 2021.

The increase was attributed by: transport (2.3%); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.2%); and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.2%).

“The CPI without fuel increased 0.4% in February 2021 to 113.6, compared with 113.1 in the same month of the preceding year. The CPI without fuel covers all goods and services except unleaded petrol RON95, unleaded petrol RON97 and diesel,” he said.

The average price of RON95 in February 2021 decreased to RM1.96 per litre, compared with RM2.07 in February 2020.

Meanwhile, the average price of RON97 decreased to RM2.26 per litre, compared with RM2.37 in the corresponding month of the preceding year, while the average price of diesel remained unchanged at RM2.13, compared to February 2020.

Year-on-year (y-o-y), the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said the core index rose 0.7% in February 2021, compared to the same month of the previous year.

It said among the major groups which influenced the y-o-y increase were: miscellaneous goods and services (1.6 %); food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.1%); health (0.7%); transport (0.5%); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.4%); furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.3%); education (0.1%); and recreation services and culture (0.1%).

The core index excludes most volatile items of fresh food as well as administered prices of goods and services.

The DOSM said seven states, namely Terengganu (0.8%), Kelantan (0.7%), Selangor and Putrajaya (0.4%), Kuala Lumpur (0.2%), Pulau Pinang (0.2%), Perak (0.2%) and Pahang (0.2%), surpassed the national CPI rate of 0.1% in February 2021, compared to February 2020.

It said all states except Sabah and Labuan registered an increase in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

The highest increase was recorded by Selangor and Putrajaya and Terengganu at 2.1%, followed by Kelantan (2%), Pahang (1.6%) and Perak (1.5%).