KUALA LUMPUR: Inflation in Malaysia slowed to 1.9 per cent in September from 2.0 per cent in August, with the index points recorded at 130.8 against 128.3 in the same month in 2022.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), this was driven by the lower increases in restaurants and hotels and food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.4 per cent as well as 3.9 per cent respectively.
This was also contributed by the incline in miscellaneous goods and services (2.5 per cent); health (2.2 per cent); education (2.0 per cent); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (1.6 per cent) and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (1.5 per cent).
Meanwhile, alcoholic beverages and tobacco and recreation services and culture increased 0.7 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the monthly headline inflation in September 2023 increased 0.1 per cent mainly contributed by alcoholic beverages and tobacco (0.4 per cent) and miscellaneous goods and services (0.2 per cent).
Meanwhile, Mohd Uzir said the inflation for the third quarter of 2023 inclined 2.0 per cent to 130.7 compared to 128.1 in the same quarter of the preceding year.
"On a quarterly basis, inflation increased 0.4 per cent, the same rate as recorded in the second quarter of 2023. The core inflation remained at 2.5 per cent, the same rate as recorded in August 2023," he said.
With regards to inflation at the state level, Mohd Uzir said 10 states recorded increases below the national inflation level of 1.9 per cent.
However, he said six states recorded increases above the national inflation level. They are Sarawak (2.7 per cent), Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (2.6 per cent), Perak (2.3 per cent), Perlis (2.2 per cent), Selangor (2.1 per cent) and Pahang (2.0 per cent).
"In comparison to inflation of other countries, inflation in Malaysia was lower than inflation in the Philippines (6.1 per cent), Eurozone (4.3 per cent), South Korea (3.7 per cent), Vietnam (3.7 per cent), United States of America (3.7 per cent) and Indonesia (2.3 per cent).
"However, the rate is higher than Thailand (0.3 per cent) and China (0.0 per cent)," he added.