KUALA LUMPUR: The manufacturing sector posted sales of RM168.3 billion in August 2025, expanding by 2.7 per cent, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the growth was mainly contributed by the food, beverages and tobacco sub-sector, improved by 9.6 per cent in August 2025 (July 2025: 8.9 per cent)
The growth was further supported by the electrical and electronics (E&E) products and the non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products sub-sectors, which rose by 3.7per cent (July 2025: 6.9 per cent) and 3.3 per cent (July 2025: 3.8 per cent), respectively.
“In the same period, sales value surged by 3.5 per cent, reaching RM168.3 billion from RM162.5 billion recorded in the prior month,” he said in a statement following the release of DOSM’s Monthly Manufacturing Statistics, Malaysia, August 2025.
The chief statistician said sales value growth in the export-oriented industries, accounting for 72.2 per cent of total sales, grew by 2.0 per cent in August 2025 (July 2025: 2.7 per cent).
The performance was primarily influenced by the increase in the manufacture of vegetable and animal oils and fats by 8.2 per cent (July 2025: 6.3 per cent).
Meanwhile, the manufacture of computer, electronics and optical products grew by 3.8per cent (July 2025: 6.9 per cent), and the manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. grew by 4.9 per cent (July 2025: 12.4 per cent).
On a month-on-month comparison, the growth of export-oriented industries returned to positive at 4.2 per cent(July 2025: -0.3 per cent).
Likewise, the domestic-oriented industries increased 4.5 per cent in August 2025, after registering 5.6 per cent a month ago.
The performance was supported by robust growth in the manufacture of food processing products at 11.6 per cent in August 2025 (July 2025: 12.7 per cent), as well as in the manufacture of basic metals (4.3 per cent) and the manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment (4.6 per cent).
Furthermore, domestic-oriented industries increased 1.7 per cent as compared to the preceding month.
“A total of 2.4 million employees were recorded in this sector during August 2025, augmented by 1.0 per cent (July 2025: 1.1 per cent).
“The augmentation was mainly driven by the food, beverages and tobacco (2.3 per cent); non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products (1.4 per cent); and E&E products (0.9 per cent),” said Mohd Uzir.
On a month-on-month basis, he said the number of employees in this sector increased 0.2 per cent.
Correspondingly, the salaries and wages paid in the manufacturing sector also expanded by 1.8 per cent (July 2025: 2.3 per cent), amounting to RM8.26 billion in August 2025.
In addition, the salaries and wages paid dropped by 0.6 per cent against RM8.31 billion recorded in the preceding month.
Subsequently, the sales value per employee registered at RM70,063 (1.7 per cent), while the average salaries and wages per employee were RM3,440, increased by 0.8 per cent year-on-year.
For the period from January to August 2025, Mohd Uzir said the manufacturing sector recorded cumulative sales of RM1.3 trillion, growing 3.5 per cent compared to the same period of 2024 (January-August 2024: 4.9 per cent).
“The number of employees ticked up by 1.0 per cent to 2.4 million persons, while salaries and wages increased by 1.9 per cent to RM66.8 billion.
“Moreover, the sales value per employee stood at RM535,728, grew 2.5 per cent,” he added. – Bernama