Overview

Summary Findings

Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined 1.4 per cent in August 2020 to 120.1 as against 121.8 in the same month of the preceding year. The decrease in the overall index was attributed by the decline in Transport (-9.9%), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (-3.0%), Clothing & Footwear (-0.6%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.1%) which contributed 45.7 per cent  to overall weight.

Nevertheless, Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages increased by 1.3 per cent to 135.2 as compared to 133.5 in corresponding month of the preceding year. This group contributes 29.5 per cent of CPI weight. Similarly, Miscellaneous Goods & Services inclined by 3.1 per cent, followed by Communication (1.6%), Health (1.1%) and Education (1.1%).

Chart 1: Percentage Change of Consumer Price Index by Main Group

Meanwhile, CPI for the period of January to August 2020 decreased 1.0 per cent as compared to the same period last year. The decrease was attributed by Transport (-10.0%), Clothing & Footwear (-1.0%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (-1.0%).

Although year-on-year CPI decreased, CPI on monthly basis increased by 0.2 per cent as compared to July 2020. The increase was attributed by Miscellaneous Goods & Services (0.7%), Transport (0.4%), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (0.2%), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (0.1%), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (0.1%), Health (0.1%) and Restaurants & Hotels (0.1%).

Index for Group Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Table 1: Percentage Change for Subgroup Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages 

The index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages increased 1.3 per cent in August 2020 as compared to the same month of the previous year. Among the subgroups that show an increase are Vegetables (5.0%), Food Products Not Elsewhere Classified (2.6%) and Oil & fats (1.5%).

Among the index of goods which recorded year-on-year price increase in most states were Small Onion (19.9%), Ginger (19.3%) and Big Onion (18.4%).

The index for Food Away from Home increased 1.9 per cent in August 2020 as against August 2019. The increase in price of Rice with Side Dishes, Food Made from Noodles and Chicken / Duck Rice contributed to the increase of the index of this subgroup.

Consumer Price Index by State 

Even though the performance for all states has improved, the index for all states decreased between -0.7 to -2.2 per cent in August 2020 as compared to August 2019. The highest decrease was recorded by Melaka (-2.2%) and Sabah & Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan (-2.2%). It was followed by Kedah & Perlis (-2.1%) and Sarawak (-2.1%).

However, all states registered an increase in the index of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages. The highest increase was recorded by Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (2.3%), followed by Johor (1.7%), Terengganu (1.5%), Perak (1.4%), Negeri Sembilan (1.4%) and Pahang (1.4%) and it surpassed the national index (1.3%).

Chart 2: Percentage Change of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages Group by State

CPI without Fuel 

The CPI without fuel shows a positive rate of 0.2 per cent in August 2020 as compared to July 2020. CPI without fuel covers all goods and services except Unleaded Petrol RON95, Unleaded Petrol RON97 and Diesel.

Chart 3: Percentage Change of CPI without Fuel, Jan 2019 - August 2020

Core Index

Core index rose 1.1 per cent in August 2020 as compared to the same month of the previous year. Among the major groups which influenced the increase were Miscellaneous Goods & Services (3.1%), Communication (1.6%), Health (1.1%) and Education (1.1%).

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

Table 2: Percentage Change of Headline CPI, Seasonally Adjusted Index and
Core Index by Main Group

Annex 1: Average Price for Selected Items in Malaysia, August 2020 (RM)

Released By:

DATO' SRI DR. MOHD UZIR MAHIDIN
CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
 DrUzir_Mahidin      Dr_Uzir

23 September 2020

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