KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 11): Malaysia’s industrial production index (IPI) rose 3.4% year-on-year (y-o-y) in December 2018 on higher manufacturing, electricity and mining output, according to the Statistics Department.

In a statement today, the department’s chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the IPI's manufacturing sector increased 4.4%, the electricity component grew 2.7%, while the mining segment grew 1%. 

"The Department of Statistics, Malaysia also reports that the Manufacturing sector output increased by 4.4 per cent in December 2018, after registering a growth of 3.7 per cent in November 2018. The major sub–sectors that contributed to growth in December 2018 were: Electrical and Electronic Equipment Products (7.2%); Transport Equipment and Other Manufactures Products (7.0%); and Petroleum, Chemical, Rubber and Plastic Products (3.6%).

"Meanwhile, the Mining sector index recorded an increase of 1.0 per cent in December 2018, as compared to the same period of the previous year. The increase was contributed by the growth in Crude Oil index (2.5%), while the Natural Gas index decreased marginally by 0.2 per cent," the department said.

For the full year, the department said the IPI increased 3.1% compared to the previous year, backed by growth in manufacturing and electricity output.

The department said the IPI's manufacturing and electricity components grew 4.8% and 3.7% respectively, while the mining segment declined 1.9%.