KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's inflation remained steady in July with food and beverages recorded a slower increase than the previous month, while price increases led by restaurant and accomodation services.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia said the consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.0 per cent with the index points stood at 133.1 against 130.5 in the same month of the previous year.
Core inflation increased by 1.9 per cent in July 2024, the same rate as recorded in June 2024.
Chief Statistician Datuk Sri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin said inflation at the state level increases below the national inflation level of 2.0 per cent in most states.
"However, four states recorded increases above the national inflation level namely Penang (3.4 per cent), Sarawak (2.7 per cent), Pahang (2.6 per cent) and Selangor (2.4 per cent).
"All states registered a slower increase in the inflation of food and beverages. The highest rate was recorded by Selangor at 3.0 per cent, followed by Penang (2.8 per cent), Sarawak (1.9 per cent), Sabah (1.7 per cent), Pahang (1.0 per cent) and Terengganu (1.6 per cent).
"Meanwhile, other states showed an increase below the national inflation of food and beverages of 1.6 per cent in July 2024," he said.
In comparison to inflation in other selected countries, inflation in Malaysia was lower than that in Vietnam (4.4 per cent), the Philippines (4.4 per cent), South Korea (2.0 per cent), Euro Zone (2.6 per cent) and Indonesia (2.1 per cent).
However, the rate was higher than Thailand (0.8 per cent) and China (0.5 per cent).
The CPI increase last month was driven by the incline in the main groups of restaurant and accommodation services (3.4 per cent); personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services (3.2 per cent); recreation, sports and culture (2.2 per cent) and health (1.9 per cent).
Food and beverages recorded a slower increase of 1.6 per cent than the 2.0 per cent in the previous month.
Inflation for transport index increased at the same rate recorded in the previous month at 1.2 per cent in July. This was contributed by the main subgroup of operation of personal transport equipment which increased to 1.8 per cent (June 2024 1.7 per cent).
Among the items was diesel, which increased 22.6 per cent in July 2024 from 15.8 per cent in the previous month.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (3.2 per cent), education (1.7 per cent) and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.9 per cent) increased at the same rate recorded in the previous month.
Inflation for transport index increased at the same rate recorded in the previous month at 1.2 per cent in July. This was contributed by the main subgroup of operation of personal transport equipment, which increased to 1.8 per cent in July 2024 (June 2024 1.7 per cent).
The items included diesel, which increased 22.6 per cent from 15.8 per cent in the previous month.