KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s consumer price index (CPI) increased 2.3% to 124.9 in January 2022 from 122.1 in the same month of the preceding year, according to the Statistics Department.

       Bernama quoted chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin as saying that the increase surpassed the country’s average inflation for the period of 2011 to January 2022 (1.9%).

       “The incline in headline inflation was mainly driven by the increase in the transport group (6.0%) and food and non-alcoholic beverages (3.6%).

       “This was followed by furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (3.1%); restaurants and hotels (2.1%) and recreation services and culture (1.2%),” he said in a statement.

       Mohd Uzir said the issue of rising food prices such as vegetables, meat and fish, which has been lingering for the past few months due to the direct impact of supply shortages, as well as rising animal feed prices, once again put pressure on food inflation.

       Mohd Uzir said the issue of rising food prices such as vegetables, meat and fish, which has been lingering for the past few months due to the direct impact of supply shortages, as well as rising animal feed prices, once again put pressure on food inflation.

       He said the increase in food inflation – the largest contributor to the overall weight of the CPI – continued to be a major contributor to the inflation.

       The inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased 3.6% in January 2022 compared to the same month of the preceding year.

       Food at home, which consist of raw materials for cooking at home, increased 4.1%. Even though the highest increase was recorded for meat (7.8%), the increase in this subgroup was slower than in December 2021 (8.3%).

       He said this was due to the decline in the average price of raw chicken in January 2022 (at RM9.48 per kg) compared to RM9.54 in December 2021.

       “This was followed by the increase in vegetables (5%); milk, cheese and eggs (4.7%); oils and fats (4.6%); as well as fish and seafood (4.2%).

       “Meanwhile, food away from home went up 3.1% and among food that showed increases were cooked beef (6.3%), cooked vegetables (4.7%), rice with side dishes (4.5%) and satay (3.9%), he said.

       At the same time, the transport group increased 6% due to low base effect with the setting of the RON95 unleaded petrol ceiling price in March 2021 (RM2.05), which was still high compared to the average price of RM1.87 per litre in January 2021.

       In addition, the average price of RON97 unleaded petrol also increased to RM3.06 per litre compared to RM2.17 per litre a year ago.

       As for the CPI by states, he noted that all states recorded increases in the CPI, with five states showing a rise above the national inflation level of 2.3%.

       The highest increase was recorded by Selangor and the Federal Territory of Putrajaya (2.9%); while Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan (1.9%), Negri Sembilan (1.8%), and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (1.8%) were the three states with the lowest CPI increase.