Inflationary pressure to remain subdued

AmBank Group chief economist Anthony Dass(pic), who is projecting a 4.5% GDP growth this year for Malaysia, said the economic growth hinges largely on domestic demand and private investment. To this end, he told StarBiz it is imperative for the government to arrest the alarming decline in private-sector investments which has slid from 6.9% in the third quarter of last year (3Q18) to 0.4% in 1Q19.

PETALING JAYA: Inflationary pressure is expected to remain subdued in the near term, which will allow Bank Negara to maintain the overnight policy rate (OPR) at the current level this year.

AmBank Group chief economist Anthony Dass said he believed the potential inflationary pressure from the cost side would remain subdued due to the absence of the goods and services tax (GST), fuel subsidy and firmer ringgit.