KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 — The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 1.8 per cent to 111.9 in April 2015 compared with 109.9 recorded in the same month last year, the Statistics Department said.

It attributed the increase to the significant rise in the index for alcoholic beverages and tobacco group, health, restaurants and hotels, and food and non-alcoholic beverages, which contributed 79.3 per cent to the CPI increase.

The April inflation rate was less than economists' median estimate of 2.1 per cent in a Reuters poll.

On a month-on-month basis, the CPI rose by 0.9 per cent from March 2015 due to increases in communication (3.1 per cent); miscellaneous goods and services (2.5 per cent); alcoholic beverages and tobacco and furnishings; and household equipment and routine household maintenance (2.2 per cent).

The increase was also contributed by the rise in health (1.9 per cent); restaurant and hotel (1.8 per cent); recreation services and culture (0.9 per cent); food and non-alcoholic beverages and clothing and footwear (0.8 per cent), education (0.5 per cent); and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.4 per cent). — Agencies