INFLATION RISES AT A SLOWER RATE OF 1.5 PCT IN FEB 2025 – DOSM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's inflation rose at a slower pace of 1.5 per cent in February 2025, with the index standing at 134.1 points compared with 132.1 in the same month a year earlier, the Statistics Department (DoSM) said.

In its Consumer Price Index, Malaysia, February 2025 statement, DoSM said the increase was driven by slower rises in key groups, including housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (2.3 per cent); recreation, sport and culture (1.5 per cent); health (1.0 per cent); transport (0.7 per cent); and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.3 per cent).

However, personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services; education; and insurance and financial services recorded higher increases compared with the previous month at 3.7 per cent, 1.9 per cent and 1.5 per cent, respectively.

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said inflation in the information and communication category remained at negative 5.3 per cent in February 2025, unchanged from January 2025. 

This was due to a decline in the main subgroup of information and communication services, which recorded a negative 5.9 per cent.

Clothing and footwear remained in negative territory at negative 0.2 per cent (January 2025: -0.3 per cent).

Meanwhile, restaurant and accommodation services (3.5 per cent); food and beverages (2.5 per cent); and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (0.9 per cent) registered the same increases as in the previous month.

The food and beverages group, which accounts for 29.8 per cent of the total consumer price index (CPI) weight, rose 2.5 per cent in February 2025 (January 2025: 2.5 per cent).

The subgroup of food at home increased by 0.5 per cent, compared with 0.4 per cent in the previous month.

The expenditure class of ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified rose 3.2 per cent (January 2025: 2.9 per cent), making it the main contributor to the increase. 

The higher prices of fresh coconut milk and instant coconut milk, which climbed 27.0 per cent and 8.7 per cent, respectively, in February 2025 (January 2025: 21.9 per cent and 3.8 per cent), also contributed to the rise in food-at-home inflation.

The increase in coconut prices in the Malaysian market since October 2024 is attributed not only to a reduction in local supply but also to a global shortage due to the coconut off-season. 

A total of 650 metric tonnes of mature coconuts have been imported by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority for public consumption ahead of Ramadan and Aidilfitri.

Meanwhile, inflation in the vegetables expenditure class fell by negative 1.0 per cent in February 2025 (January 2025: -1.1 per cent).

Year-on-year, tomato prices dropped 16.5 per cent (January 2025: -11.3 per cent), while prices of lady’s fingers and long beans declined by negative 7.4 per cent (January 2025: -1.1 per cent) and negative 4.7 per cent (January 2025: -1.5 per cent), respectively.

The meat expenditure class also declined, registering negative 0.3 per cent in February 2025 (January 2025: -1.0 per cent), driven by lower prices for local beef (-4.3 per cent, January 2025: -4.0 per cent) and pork (-0.3 per cent, January 2025: -0.7 per cent). 

However, chicken—the largest component (32.6 per cent) of the meat expenditure class—rose 1.9 per cent in February 2025 (January 2025: -0.3 per cent).

DoSM said the average price of standard chicken in Malaysia was RM10.52 per kilogramme in February 2025, up from RM10.29 per kilogramme in February 2024 (January 2025: RM10.40).

“The overall monthly inflation for February 2025 increased 0.4 per cent compared with January 2025,” said Mohd Uzir.

At the state level, four states recorded inflation above the national level: Johor (2.1 per cent), Sarawak (1.9 per cent), Selangor (1.9 per cent) and Melaka (1.6 per cent).

Comparing inflation across selected countries, Malaysia’s rate of 1.5 per cent was lower than Vietnam’s (2.9 per cent) and the Philippines’ (2.1 per cent) but higher than Thailand’s (1.1 per cent), Indonesia’s (-0.1 per cent) and China’s (-0.7 per cent).

-- BERNAMA