KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 12): The manufacturing sector recorded RM158.9 billion in sales in October 2022, an increase of 12.9% year-on-year, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the double-digit growth in sales value in October was largely driven by the petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products subsector (up 23.8%).

The growth was also attributed to electrical and electronics products (16.6%), and food, beverages and tobacco products (4.6%).

Mohd Uzir said the manufacturing sector employed 2.32 million persons in October, up 3.6% from 2.24 million persons in the same month last year.

“The increment was contributed by the subsectors of electrical and electronic products (which increased 5.6%), food, beverages and tobacco products (4.3%), and petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (2.0%),” he said in a statement on Monday (Dec 12).

The DOSM said salaries and wages paid in the manufacturing sector grew 4.8% to RM7.88 billion, in line with the growth of the number of employees.

The department said sales value per employee rose by 9.0% to RM68,441 compared to a year earlier.

“The average salary or wage per employee was RM3,395,” it added.

From January to October 2022, the manufacturing sector’s sales value increased 17.1% to RM1.49 trillion as compared to the same period last year, the DOSM said.

“Meanwhile, the number of employees went up 3.6% to record 2.32 million persons, with salaries and wages expanding 5.3% to RM78.1 billion.

“During the period, sales value per employee amounted to RM639,852, with a growth of 13.0% year-on-year,” it said.

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