Overview

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

CPI increased by 1.8 per cent in May 2018 to 121.1 compared to 119.0 in corresponding month of the preceding year. Among the major groups which recorded increases were the indices for Transport (+3.8 per cent), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+2.2 per cent), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.1 per cent), Restaurants and Hotels (+2.1 per cent), Health (+1.9 per cent) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (+1.5 per cent). (Chart 1)

On a monthly basis, CPI increased 0.2 per cent as compared to April 2018. CPI for the period January-May 2018 registered an increase of 1.7 percent as compared to the same period last year.

Chart 1: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Percentage Change by Main Groups, Malaysia, May 2018/May 2017

Index for Sub-Groups Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

The overall index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages which accounted 29.5 per cent in the CPI weights, increased 2.2 per cent in May 2018. The increase was driven by food sub-group index which comprised of Fish & Seafood (+3.2 per cent), Fruits (+1.9 per cent), Rice, Bread & Other Cereals (+1.6 per cent), Sugar, Jam, Honey, Chocolate & Confectionery (+1.2 per cent) and Meat (+1.0 per cent). On the other hand, the sub-group Vegetables decreased 3.0 per cent in May 2018. The decrease was due to the index of goods which dropped in most states such as Tomatoes (-12.9 per cent), Brinjals (-9.1 per cent), Round Cabbage (-2.4 per cent) and Choy Sam (-2.0 per cent). Meanwhile, the index for Food Away From Home increased 3.7 per cent in May 2018.

Table 1: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Annual Percentage Change by Sub-Groups Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Malaysia, May 2018/May 2017

States Index

In terms of overall CPI, three states surpassed the national CPI rate of 1.8 per cent recorded in May 2018 as compared to May 2017. The states were Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (+2.2 per cent), Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (+2.1 per cent) and Johor (+2.0 per cent).

Meanwhile, the higher increase in the index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages was reflected in most states in Malaysia. Four states recorded higher increases for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages index above the national index level (+2.2 per cent) in May 2018 as compared to the corresponding month in 2017. The index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rose 4.5 per cent in Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, 2.4 per cent in Pulau Pinang and 2.3 per cent in Johor and Sarawak. (Chart 2)

Chart 2: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Annual Percentage Change for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages by State, May 2018/May 2017

Core Index

Core inflation rose 1.5 per cent in May 2018 as compared to the same month of the previous year. Among the major groups which influenced the higher core rate were price increases for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+2.7 per cent), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.5 per cent), Restaurants & Hotels (+2.1 per cent), Health (+1.9 per cent) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (+1.5 per cent). Core inflation, which excludes most volatile items of fresh food, as well as administered prices of goods and services recorded changes ranging from 1.5 per cent to 2.2 per cent in the period January to May 2018 compared with the same period of the previous year.. (Table 2)

Table 2: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Percentage Change of Headline CPI, Seasonally Adjusted Index and Core Index by Main Groups, Malaysia, May 2018/ May 2017

Annex 1: Average Price for Selected Items in Malaysia, May 2018 (RM) 

Released By:

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

20 June 2018

Contact person:

Ho Mei Kei
Public Relation Officer
Strategic Communication and International Division
Department of Statistics, Malaysia
Tel : +603-8885 7942
Fax : +603-8888 9248
Email : mkho[at]dosm.gov.my

For interviews, press statement and clarification to the media, contact:

Baharudin Mohamad

Public Relation Officer

Email: baharudin[at]dosm.gov.my

Phone: 03 8885 7942

Not found what you looking for? Request data from us, through

Go to eStatistik

email to data[at]dosm.gov.my

call 03 8885 7128 (data request)