Malaysia’s April manufacturing sales recorded a growth of 8.2% to RM65.5 billion compared with RM60.5 billion reported a year ago, according to the Statistics Department.
The significant increase in sales value in April was due to the increase in electrical and electronics products (13.9%), petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (6.3%) and food, beverages and tobacco products (6.4%).
Total employees engaged in the manufacturing sector in April 2018 was 1.07 million persons, an increase of 2.1% or 22,100 persons against 1.05 million persons in April 2017.
Salaries & wages paid rose 10.2% (RM353.5 million) to record RM3.83 billion, thus registering an average salaries & wages per employee of RM3,577 in April 2018.
Sales value per employee gain 6.0% to RM61,226 compared with the same month the previous year.
MIDF Research is of the view that the continuous uptrend in both wages and employment in the manufacturing sector provides a bright outlook for the economic activities and contribute positively towards domestic consumption in 2018.