(Kuala Lumpur, 9th) Data released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) showed that Malaysia’s manufacturing sales reached RM168.6 billion in December 2024, representing a 6.4% year-on-year increase. This lifted full-year manufacturing sales to RM1.97 trillion, up 4.2% from a year earlier.
Chief Statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the December growth was mainly driven by the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector, which recorded a 12.6% year-on-year expansion.
Other key contributors included the food, beverages and tobacco sector, which grew 10.4%, and non-metallic mineral products, basic metals and fabricated metal products, which rose 5.3%. On a month-on-month basis, however, manufacturing sales declined by 0.5%.
Export-Oriented Industries Up 6.8%
By industrial orientation, export-oriented industries, accounting for 70.4% of total manufacturing output, recorded a 6.8% year-on-year increase in December. This was largely supported by a 13.3% rise in the manufacture of computers, electronics and optical products.
Meanwhile, domestic-oriented industries expanded 5.6% year-on-year, driven mainly by a 9.6% increase in food processing activities.
On a month-on-month comparison, export-oriented industries contracted by 1%, while domestic-oriented industries grew by 0.7%.
Employment and Wages Continue to Rise
Manufacturing employment stood at 2.4 million persons in December, marking a 1.1% year-on-year increase and a 0.1% rise month-on-month, Mohd Uzir said. The growth was led by food, beverages and tobacco (+1.9%), electrical and electronics (+1.7%), and non-metallic mineral products, basic metals and fabricated metal products (+1.2%).
Total wages paid in the manufacturing sector increased 2.5% year-on-year to RM9.1 billion in December, while surging 7.7% month-on-month. Sales value per employee rose 5.3% to RM69,502, while the average monthly wage per employee increased 1.3% year-on-year to RM3,756.
On a quarterly basis, fourth-quarter manufacturing sales rose 5.8% year-on-year to RM509.5 billion.
Overall, Malaysia’s manufacturing sales totalled RM1.97 trillion in 2024, up 4.2%, while employment increased to 2.4 million (+1.1%) and total wages paid reached RM101.2 billion, representing a 2% annual increase.
