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MALAYSIA’S headline inflation rose to 1.4 per cent in April 2025, up from 1.8 per cent in March, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). The Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 134.3, compared to 132.4 in the same month last year.
In a statement released today, Chief Statistician Datuk Sri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase was mainly driven by a 4.1 per cent rise in the personal care, social protection, and miscellaneous goods and services group — up from 3.6 per cent in March.
“Education increased by 2.3 per cent (March 2025: 2.2 per cent), while the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels category rose by 2.0 per cent (March 2025: 1.9 per cent),” he said.
The food and beverages (F\&B) category, which carries the largest CPI weight at 29.8 per cent, showed signs of easing, rising by 2.3 per cent in April, down from 2.5 per cent in March. The decline was attributed to lower prices for vegetables, dairy products and eggs, fruits and nuts, cereals and meat.
The food-at-home subgroup edged up by 0.5 per cent in April, slightly lower than the 0.6 per cent recorded in March.
Other categories that registered slower year-on-year increases include recreation, sport and culture (1.3 per cent from 1.7 per cent), health (0.9 per cent from 1.0 per cent), and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.1 per cent from 0.2 per cent).
Several categories remained unchanged from the previous month, including restaurant and accommodation services (2.9 per cent), insurance and financial services (1.5 per cent), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (0.8 per cent), and transport (0.7 per cent).
Meanwhile, prices in information and communication and clothing and footwear remained in negative territory at -4.5 per cent and -0.1 per cent, respectively.
Dr Mohd Uzir noted that the average price of diesel in Peninsular Malaysia was RM2.95 per litre in April, compared to RM2.15 in April 2024. However, prices in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan held steady at RM2.15 per litre.
Kelantan and Putrajaya recorded the lowest inflation rates at 0.5 per cent, while four states experienced inflation above the national average: Johor (2.2 per cent), Negeri Sembilan (1.7 per cent), Selangor (1.7 per cent) and Melaka (1.6 per cent).
In regional comparison, Vietnam posted an inflation rate of 3.1 per cent, Indonesia 2.0 per cent, while Thailand and China recorded negative inflation at -0.2 per cent and -0.1 per cent respectively. - May 22, 2025
