KUALA LUMPUR: Export-oriented industries underpinned Malaysia’s manufacturing sales in September to RM135.3bil, which was an 11.6% increase from a year ago.

       The Statistics Department said on Tuesday the sales value increased by 6.9% as against the previous month.

       Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, said the growth in sales value for this month was driven by the petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastic products subsector (29.2%) especially in the manufacture of coke & refined petroleum products industries.

       “The expansion was also attributed by the food, beverages & tobacco subsector (12%) supported by the manufacture of food products industries as well as the electrical & electronics products subsector (10.8%) mainly in the manufacture of computer, optical & electronics products,” he said.

       Mohd Uzir said the sales value for export-oriented industries -- 74% of total sales value --recorded an increase of 15.9% (RM100.2bil) while domestic-oriented industries recorded a 1.1% increase in September 2021 from a year ago.

       The growth of sales value for export-oriented industries was in line with the double-digit growth registered in the external trade exports and the price factors that remain favourable.

       Mohd Uzir said on month-on-month comparison, export and domestic-oriented industries grew 5.2% and 12.3%.

       The manufacturing sector also hired more workers as the total employees in September 2021 was 2,231,406 persons, up by 1.6% as compared to 2,195,300 persons a year ago.

       The increase was contributed by the electrical & electronic products (4.5%), petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastic products (1.3%) and wood, furniture, paper products & printing (1.5%).

       In line with the recovery in the manufacturing sector, the report also stated that salaries & wages paid amounted to RM7,478.8mil, up by 3.6% or RM261.8mil in September 2021versus a year ago.

       Mohd Uzir said sales value per employee increased by 9.8% to record RM60,645 as compared with the same month in 2020 (September 2020: RM55,218).

       Average salaries & wages per employee was RM3,352 in September 2021.

       In the third quarter 2021, the sales value of the manufacturing sector grew 6.4% to RM381.8bil as compared to the previous corresponding period.

       The increase was driven by petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastics products (34.2%), food, beverages & tobacco products (8.8%) and electrical & electronics products (2.9%).

       He also said the number of employees and salaries & wages rose 1.6% and 2.3% respectively in the third quarter 2021.

       For the period of January to September 2021, the sales value of the manufacturing sector increased by 15.1% to RM1,127.8bil from the previous corresponding period.

       The number of employees and salaries & wages rose by 1.6% and 2.5%respectively, 2.23 million persons and RM66.6bil.

       Sales value per employee for the first nine months of 2021 also grew 13.2% to record RM505,404.

       Infographic of Malaysia’s manufacturing sales in September.