CPI DECLINES 2.9 PER CENT IN APRIL 2020: DOSM

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 -- Malaysia’s consumer price index (CPI) declined 2.9 per cent in April to 117.6 against 121.1 in the same month last year, the lowest rate of change recorded since 2010, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the decrease in the overall index was driven by the decline of transport index (-21.5 per cent) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-2.2 per cent) which contributed 14.6 per cent and 23.8 per cent of the overall weight.

"The lower average price of RON95 in April 2020 which recorded RM1.27 per litre as compared to RM2.08 in April 2019 contributed to the decrease of the transport and overall index," he said in a statement today.

In addition, the average price of RON97 decreased to RM1.57 per litre as compared to RM2.71, while diesel declined to RM1.49 per litre from RM2.18 in the corresponding month of the preceding year.

“CPI without fuel for vehicles (RON95, RON97 and diesel) is at a positive rate of 0.2 per cent while core index rose 1.3 per cent in April 2020 as compared to the same month of the previous year.

"Core index excludes most volatile items of fresh food as well as administered prices of goods and services," Mohd Uzir said.

Nevertheless, food and non-alcoholic beverages continue to increase in April 2020 by 1.2 per cent to 133.9 compared to 132.3 in the corresponding month of the preceding year, while food and non-alcoholic beverages contribute 29.5 per cent of CPI weight.

"Similarly, miscellaneous goods and services also inclined by 2.3 per cent, followed by communication (1.6 per cent), health (1.2 per cent) and education (1.2 per cent)," he added.

On a monthly basis, CPI decreased 2.7 per cent as compared to March 2020, contributed by transport (-13.5 per cent) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-3.8 per cent).

Meanwhile, the CPI for the period of January to April 2020 decreased 0.1 per cent compared to the same period last year.

He said the index for all states fell between -2.0 to -3.9 per cent in April 2020 as compared to April 2019, led by Kedah and Perlis (-3.9 per cent), followed by Sarawak (-3.8 per cent) and Sabah and Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan (-3.7 per cent).

In contrast, all states registered an increase in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages, led by Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (1.8 per cent), Perak (1.8 per cent), Terengganu (1.8 per cent), Johor (1.7 per cent) and Pulau Pinang (1.5 per cent) and it surpassed the national index of 1.2 per cent for food and non-alcoholic beverages in April 2020.

-- BERNAMA