KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — Malaysia’s Industrial Production Index (IPI) for 2018 rose by 3.1 per cent as compared with 2017, says the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) today.

DOSM in a statement today said the increased was supported by the growth in manufacturing sector (4.8 per cent) and electricity sector (3.7 per cent).

However, the mining sector declined by 1.9 per cent.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said December 2018 IPI increased 3.4 per cent compared with the same month of 2017, driven by an increase in the manufacturing index, which grew 4.4 per cent, electricity index (2.7 per cent) and mining index (1.0 per cent).

Major manufacturing sub-sectors which contributed to the growth he said, were electrical and electronic equipment products (7.2 per cent), transport equipment and other manufacturers products (7.0 per cent), and petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (3.6 per cent).

"Meanwhile, the mining index rose 1.0 per cent in December contributed by 2.5 per cent growth in crude oil index but natural gas index decreased marginally by 0.2 per cent,” he added. —Bernama