Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 19): Malaysia's inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), showed moderate growth of 0.2% in August from a year earlier, as compared to 0.9% year-on-year (y-o-y) growth recorded in July. 

In a statement today, the Statistics Department said CPI growth of 0.2% in August recorded the lowest rate within 42 months. The slowdown movement was mainly due to the impact of cost of fuels which caused the index for Transport to increase 2.1%, as compared to 6.7% recorded in July 2018.

“Other than Transport group, an increase of price in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.0 per cent), Education (+1.1 per cent), Restaurants & Hotels (+0.7 per cent) and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+0.4 per cent) also contributed to the increase of CPI August 2018,” the Statistics Department added.

The Statistics Department highlighted the higher increase in the index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages was reflected in most states in Malaysia, particularly in two states, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (+2.9%) and Sarawak (+0.7%), which recorded higher increases for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages index above the national index level (+0.4%) in August 2018, as compared to the corresponding month in 2017. The index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rose 

In general, the Statistics Department said three states has surpassed the national CPI rate of 0.2% recorded in August 2018, compared to one year ago, the states were Negeri Sembilan (+0.6 per cent), Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (+0.5 per cent) and Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (+0.3 per cent). Meanwhile Pulau Pinang and Johor showed the same rate as the national CPI.

Between January and August, CPI climbed 1.3% from a year earlier and in monthly terms, August CPI increased 0.2%, the Department added.

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