KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — Malaysia's industrial production in April rose 4.2 per cent from a year earlier, government data showed today, supported by strong growth in the manufacturing and food and beverage sectors.

However, output growth for April was below a 4.8 per cent annual rise forecast by a Reuters poll and slower than the 4.6 per cent increase in March.

Manufacturing output rose 6.7 per cent year-on-year in April, on strong demand for electrical and electronic products, food and beverage and tobacco, and petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products, data from the Statistics Department showed.

Electricity output declined 1.5 per cent, the data showed.

Malaysia's exports rose 20.6 per cent in April from a year earlier, slightly slower than the previous month though the pace was strong for manufactured goods, mining and agricultural output. — Reuters