KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — Malaysia’s inflation rate remained at 1.7 per cent in January, with the index points at 133.6 points from 131.4 points in the same month last year, according to the Statistics Department (DOSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the inflation in the month reviewed was driven by an increase in the main groups of restaurant and accommodation services (3.5 per cent); personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services (3.3 per cent); recreation, sport and culture (1.8 per cent), and education (1.6 per cent).
“In addition, health group (1.2 per cent); transport (0.9 per cent); alcoholic beverages and tobacco (0.9 per cent); insurance and financial services (0.6 per cent), and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.5 per cent) showed a higher increase from December 2024.”
He said inflation for information and communication decreased to -5.3 per cent in January 2025 (December 2024: -5.4 per cent), due to the decline in inflation for the main subgroup of information and communication services at -5.9 per cent (December 2024: -6.4 per cent).
“Clothing and footwear remained in the negative territory at -0.3 per cent (December 2024: -0.5 per cent).
“Meanwhile, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and food and beverages recorded a slower increase at 2.8 per cent and 2.5 per cent against 3.2 per cent and 2.7 per cent, respectively, in the previous month,” he said.
Uzir said the average price for diesel in Peninsular Malaysia was RM3.06 per litre as compared to RM2.15 per litre in January 2024 (December 2024: RM2.95). However, the average price of diesel for Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan remained at RM2.15 per litre.
As for the inflation at the state level, he said that most of the states recorded inflation below the national inflation level of 1.7 per cent.
However, inflation for four states were above the national inflation level, namely Penang (2.4 per cent), Selangor (2 per cent), Johor (1.9 per cent) and Pahang (1.9 per cent).
Comparing inflation with other selected countries, he said inflation in Malaysia (1.7 per cent) was lower than inflation in Vietnam (3.6 per cent), the Philippines (2.9 per cent), and South Korea (2.2 per cent).
“However, Malaysia’s inflation rate was higher than Thailand (1.3 per cent), Indonesia (0.8 per cent), and China (0.5 per cent),” he added.
— Bernama
