KUALA LUMPUR: Exports of articles of apparel and clothing accessories rose 18.5 per cent year-on-year to RM499.9 million, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) said.

       At the state level, Johor recorded the highest exports of articles of apparel & clothing accessories worth RM272.7 million (54.5 per cent), followed by Selangor (RM104.3 million, 20.9 per cent) and Perlis (RM41.0 million, 8.2 per cent).

       "Exports in April 2022 increased RM21.9 billion (+20.7 per cent) compared to the same month of the previous year,” chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement today.

       He said the higher exports were recorded in most states such as Penang (+RM9.0 billion), Selangor (+RM3.7 billion), Sarawak (+RM3.4 billion), Kuala Lumpur (+RM1.7 billion), Sabah (+RM1.6 billion), Johor (+RM1.6 billion) and Kedah (+RM1.3 billion).

       However, exports decreased in Melaka (-RM631.4 million), Terengganu (-RM349.2 million), Negeri Sembilan (-RM324.0 million) and Perak (-RM280.1 million).

       On imports by state, the chief statistician said that imports also increased RM18.7 billion (+22.0 per cent) in April 2022 compared to the same month of the previous year.

       Higher imports were mainly from Penang (+RM5.4 billion), Selangor (+RM3.0 billion), Melaka (+RM2.2 billion), Kedah (+RM1.7 billion), Johor (+RM1.5 billion) and Kuala Lumpur (+RM1.4 billion).

       However, imports decreased in Kelantan (-RM170.7 million), Sabah (-RM102.0 million) and Terengganu (-RM38.6 million).

       "Among the top five major exporting states, Penang remained the top exporter with a share of 29.3 per cent, followed by Johor (20.0 per cent), Selangor (19.5 per cent), Sarawak (8.1 per cent) and Kuala Lumpur (4.3 per cent).

       Meanwhile, for imports, Selangor remained the largest contributor with a share of 25.6 per cent, followed by Penang (23.4 per cent), Johor (18.3 per cent), Kuala Lumpur (7.3 per cent) and Kedah (5.7 per cent).

       Last week, the statistics department released April trade data, whereby it rose 21.3 per cent year-on-year to RM231.4 billion, with exports of RM127.5 billion (+20.7 per cent y-o-y) and imports worth RM103.9 billion (+22.0 per cent y-o-y). - Bernama