Overview

The Manufacturing sector sales rose 2.4 per cent, amounted to RM158.7 billion in May 2025

The sales value of the Manufacturing sector rose 2.4 per cent (April 2025: 4.7%), totalled at RM158.7 billion in May 2025. The growth in sales value within the Manufacturing sector was mainly contributed by the Food, beverages & tobacco sub-sector, sustained the strong expansion with a 13.0 per cent increase in May 2025 (April 2025: 10.8%). This growth was also supported by the Electrical & electronics products and the Non-metallic mineral products, basic metal & fabricated metal products sub-sectors, which rose by 5.0 per cent (April 2025: 9.6%) and 3.7 per cent (April 2025: 4.6%), respectively. However, the sales value dropped by 1.1 per cent to RM158.7 billion as against RM160.4 billion recorded in the prior month.

Sales value growth in the export-oriented industries which accounting for 71.1 per cent of total sales, grew by 2.7 per cent in May 2025 (April 2025: 5.1%). The performance was primarily due to the increase in the Manufacture of vegetable & animal oils & fats by 15.9 per cent (April 2025: 12.2%). Meanwhile, the Manufacture of computer, electronics & optical products expanded by 4.9 per cent (April 2025: 10.2%), and the Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. advanced by 7.7 per cent (April 2025: 9.5%). On a month-on-month comparison, export-oriented industries rebounded to 0.1 per cent (April 2025: -3.3%).

The domestic-oriented industries expanded by 1.9 per cent in May 2025, following 3.6 per cent rise in April 2025. The performance was supported by robust growth in the Manufacture of food processing products at 10.5 per cent in May 2025 (April 2025: 10.0%), as well as in the Manufacture of basic metals (4.3%) and Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery & equipment (3.5%). On a month-on-month comparison, domestic-oriented industries declined 3.9 per cent.

A total of 2.40 million employees were recorded in this sector during May 2025, augmented by 0.9 per cent (April 2025: 1.2%). The augmentation was mainly driven by the Food, beverages & tobacco (1.8%); Non-metallic mineral products, basic metal & fabricated metal products (1.4%); and Electrical & electronics products (1.1%). On a month-on-month basis, the number of employees in this sector marginally decreased by 0.1 per cent.

The salaries & wages paid in the Manufacturing sector also posted an increase of 1.6 per cent (April 2025: 2.4%), amounted to RM8.3 billion in May 2025. Furthermore, the salaries & wages paid improved by 0.2 per cent compared to RM8.3 billion recorded in the preceding month. Subsequently, the sales value per employee registered at RM66,163 (1.6%), while the average salaries & wages per employee was RM3,470, rose by 0.7 per cent year-on-year.

Within the first five months this year (January – May 2025), the sales value of the Manufacturing sector was amounted to RM794.7 billion, increased by 3.8 per cent as compared to the same period of 2024 (January – May 2024: 3.3%). The number of employee upticked by 0.9 per cent to 2.40 million persons, while salaries & wages increased by 1.9 per cent to RM41.9 billion with the sales value per employee stood at RM331,327, grew 2.9 per cent.

The full publication of the Monthly Manufacturing Statistics, May 2025 can be downloaded through eStatistik portal. Data for May 2025 is provisional. The data will be updated based on the latest available figures and subsequently published in the June 2025 publication.

Released by:

DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS MALAYSIA

11 July 2025

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