Building materials cost index continues to rise in March 2022

KUALA LUMPUR: The Building Materials Cost Index (BCI), without steel bars and with steel bars, continued to increase in March 2022, in line with the increase in the price of most of the building materials, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Chief statistician Malaysia Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said almost all building materials, such as cement, steel, sand, bricks, roofing and ceiling materials, increased in March 2022.

"The hike in steel price, for instance, was attributed to the incline in cost of raw materials for steel producer countries. The steel prices also went up due to the Russia-Ukraine war, as these two countries are among the largest steel producers in the world. This has caused a global supply chain disruption," the department said in its Index For Building And Structural Works, March 2022 report today.

"The BCI (without steel bars and with steel bars) increased for all building categories between 0.1 and 1.6 per cent for Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah between 0.1 and 0.9 per cent, and Sarawak between 0.1 and 2.6 per cent. The BCI without steel bars for all regions in Peninsular Malaysia increased between 0.1 and 1.0 per cent for almost all building categories,” Mohd Uzir said.

Building categories that recorded the highest increase were five-storey and above reinforced concrete (RC) buildings (for office); single storey RC buildings; two to four-storey RC buildings (flat roof); and two to four-storey RC buildings (pitched roof) in Terengganu, Kelantan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and Negeri Sembilan.

The BCI with steel bars for all regions in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak increased between 0.1 and 1.9 per cent for almost all building categories, the department said.

"The highest increase in steel was recorded in Sarawak (1.9 per cent) and followed by Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, and Johor with 1.7 per cent," DOSM said. - Bernama