KUALA LUMPUR: The manufacturing sector posted sales value of RM173.1 billion in March 2026, an increase of 5.3 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y), said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
In a statement today, chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the growth in sales value within the manufacturing sector was mainly contributed by the electrical and electronics (E&E) products sub-sector, which rose 13.3 per cent in March 2026.
"This was further supported by the food, beverages and tobacco sub-sector; as well as non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products sub-sector, which increased by 7.8 per cent and 3.7 per cent respectively,” he said.
On a month-on-month basis, sales value rose by 8.7 per cent, from RM159.2 billion recorded in February 2026.
Meanwhile, Mohd Uzir said sales value growth in the export-oriented industries, which account for 71.7 per cent of total sales, expanded by 6.5 per cent in March 2026, led by the increase in the manufacture of computers, electronics and optical products at 15.2 per cent.
Besides that, he said the manufacture of vegetable and animal oils and fats also registered an increment at 10.2 per cent, while the manufacture of machinery and equipment grew 2.7 per cent.
As compared to the sales value in the preceding month, the export-oriented industries surged by 10.7 per cent.
Mohd Uzir said the domestic-oriented industries increased 2.5 per cent in March 2026, after registering 2.7 per cent in the previous month. mainly supported by the growth in the manufacture of food processing products industry at 5.0 per cent in March 2026, as well as in the manufacture of basic metals and the manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products (3.2 per cent).
On employment, he said a total of 2.4 million employees were recorded in this sector during March 2026, augmented by 1.1 per cent, mainly driven by food, beverages and tobacco (2.1 per cent), followed by the E&E products and non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products, which all recorded 1.4 per cent.
The number of employees in this sector decreased 0.1 per cent on a month-on-month comparison.
He added that the salaries and wages paid in the manufacturing sector also posted an expansion of 2.2 per cent, amounting to RM8.56 billion in March 2026.
As compared to the amount recorded in the prior month, the salaries and wages paid declined 0.2 per cent. Subsequently, the sales value per employee registered at RM71,705 (4.2 per cent), while the average salaries and wages per employee was RM3,547, an increase at 1.1 per cent y-o-y.
For the first quarter of 2026, the manufacturing sector recorded sales value of RM 501.5 billion for a growth of 5.5 per cent (fourth quarter 2025: 5.8 per cent).
The number of employees increased by 1.1 per cent to 2.4 million persons, while salaries and wages increased by 2.3 per cent to RM25.9 billion. The sales value per employee stood at RM207,779, an increase of 4.4 per cent. - Bernama
