MALAYSIA’S inflation came down to 1.9% in September with the index points recorded at 130.8 from 128.3 in the same month of the previous year, the Statistics Department said.

Chief statistician Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said slower increases in restaurants and hotels at 4.4% and food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.9% helped drive down inflation.

Apart from that, miscellaneous goods and services recorded moderate growth (2.5%); health (2.2%); education (2.0%); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (1.6%) and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (1.5%).

Meanwhile, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, as well as recreation services and culture increased by 0.7% and 0.6% respectively.

He said in a statement today that the food and non-alcoholic beverages group contributed 29.5% of total Consumer Price Index weight, recording a moderate increase of 3.9% from August’s 4.1%.

Food at home recorded an increase of 2.5% against 2.9% recorded in the previous month mainly driven by the subgroup of rice, bread and other cereals (4.1%), while the food away from home remained unchanged as in August’s 5.9%. 

Uzir said the monthly headline inflation in September went up moderately by 0.1%, mainly contributed by alcoholic beverages and tobacco as well as miscellaneous goods and services, which recorded an increase of 0.4% and 0.2% respectively.

The inflation for the third quarter inclined 2.0% to 130.7 against 128.1 in the same quarter of the preceding year.

On a quarterly basis, inflation increased 0.4% – the same rate recorded in the second quarter.

“Core inflation remained at 2.5%, the same rate recorded in August but it still surpassing the overall national inflation rate (1.9%).

“Food and non-alcoholic beverages recorded the highest increase at 5.1%. This was followed by restaurants and hotels (4.4%) and transport (2.9%).

Malaysia’s 1.9% inflation last month was lower than the rate in the Philippines (6.1%), eurozone (4.3%), South Korea (3.7%), Vietnam (3.7%), the United States (3.7%) and Indonesia (2.3%). – Bernama, October 20, 2023.