KUALA LUMPUR: The Building Cost Index (BCI) with steel bars declined by between 0.1 per cent and 1.1 per cent across building categories and regions in Peninsular Malaysia in August 2026 compared with the previous month, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
In a statement, DOSM said the BCI with steel bars in Sabah increased by between 0.1 per cent and 3.4 per cent across all building categories, while Sarawak recorded increases of between 0.1 per cent and 0.4 per cent.
For sand, it said the unit price index rose by between 0.3 per cent and 7.7 per cent month-on-month, with Kota Kinabalu recording the highest increase at 7.7 per cent.
This was followed by Perak at 2.4 per cent, while Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Sibu recorded increases of 0.3 per cent each.
"The unit price index for steel, meanwhile, declined by between 0.3 per cent and 2.4 per cent month-on-month in selected areas.
"The largest decline was recorded in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan at 2.4 per cent, followed by Perak at 1.3 per cent and Pahang at 0.7 per cent,” it said.
On a year-on-year basis, DOSM noted that the unit price index for cement increased by between 0.6 per cent and 6.7 per cent across Malaysia.
Kuching recorded the highest increase at 6.7 per cent, followed by Miri at 6.6 per cent and Kelantan and Terengganu at 5.9 per cent, it added. - Bernama
