Overview

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.2 per cent in May 2019 to 121.4 as compared to 121.1 in the same month of the preceding year. The main groups that contributed to the increases were Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+1.8 per cent), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+1.3 per cent), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+1.2 per cent), Education (+1.2 per cent), Restaurants & Hotels (+0.6 per cent) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (+0.5 per cent). (Chart 1). 

On a monthly basis, CPI rose 0.2 per cent as compared to April 2019. Meanwhile, CPI for the period of January – May 2019 registered a decrease of 0.1 per cent as compared to the same period last year.

Chart 1: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Percentage Change by Main Groups, Malaysia, May 2019/May 2018

Index for Sub-Groups Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

The overall index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages increased 1.2 per cent in May 2019. The increase was attributed by the food sub-group index of Vegetables (+4.5 per cent), Fish & Seafood (+0.9 per cent) and Milk & Eggs (+0.7 per cent).

Among the index of goods which recorded price increases in most states were Cucumbers (+23.7 per cent), Fresh Chilly Red (+23.6 per cent), Round Cabbage (+18.2 per cent), Long Beans (+16.9 per cent), Cockles (+11.1 per cent), Hen’s Eggs (+8.4 per cent), Spanish Mackerel (Fish) (+4.6 per cent), Red Snapper (Fish) (+3.1 per cent), Choy Sum (+2.0 per cent), Crabs (+2.0 per cent) and Prawns (+1.5 per cent).

The index for Food Away From Home increased 2.9 per cent in May 2019 as against May 2018. The rise in the price of Burger, Fried Chicken, Rice with Side Dishes and Food Made from Noodles contributed to the increase of the index of this sub-group. (Table 1)

Table 1: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Annual Percentage Change by Sub-Groups Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Malaysia, May 2019/May 2018

Consumer Price Index by States 

Three states namely Pulau Pinang (+0.7 per cent), Negeri Sembilan (+0.6 per cent) and Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (+0.5 per cent) surpassed the national CPI rate of 0.2 per cent in May 2019 as compared to May 2018. Meanwhile, Kelantan, Johor and Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya showed the same rate of increase as the national CPI.

The increase in the index of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages was reflected all states in Malaysia. Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (+2.8 per cent), Johor (+1.8 per cent) and Negeri Sembilan (+1.4 per cent) surpassed the national index of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages in May 2019. (Chart 2)

Chart 2: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Annual Percentage Change for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages by State, May 2019/May 2018

Core Index

Core index increased 0.4 per cent in May 2019 as compared to the same month of the previous year. Among the major groups which influenced the higher core rate were price increases of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.0 per cent), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+1.5 per cent), Education (+1.2 per cent) and Restaurants & Hotels (+0.6 per cent).

Core index excludes most volatile items of fresh food as well as administered prices of goods and services. (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 2019/May 2018

Annex 1: Average Price for Selected Items in Malaysia, May 2019 (RM) 

Released By:

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

26 June 2019
 

Contact person:

Public Relation Officer
Strategic Communication and International Division
Department of Statistics, Malaysia
Tel : +603-8885 7187 / 7942
Fax : +603-8888 9248
Email : jpbkkp[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)