KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — Malaysia’s manufacturing sales grew 3.7 per cent year-on-year to RM121.2 billion in September 2020, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

In a statement today, chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the year-on-year (y-o-y) growth in sales value during the month was driven by the increase in transport equipment and other manufactured products (14.3 per cent), food, beverages and tobacco products (14.2 per cent) and electrical and electronics products (7.2 per cent).

However, total employees engaged in the manufacturing sector in September 2020 declined 2.3 per cent y-o-y to 2.19 million persons versus 2.24 million persons previously.

Mohd Uzir said the sales value per employee rose by 6.1 per cent y-o-y to RM55,151, while the overall average salaries and wages per employee in the sector was RM3,283.

In the third quarter of 2020, sales value of the manufacturing sector grew 2.4 per cent y-o-y to RM358.8 billion, driven by the rise in transport equipment and other manufactured products (14.1 per cent), food, beverages and tobacco products (13.8 per cent) and electrical and electronics products (7.2 per cent).

Meanwhile, the number of employees and salaries and wages dropped 2.3 per cent and 2.7 per cent, respectively, during the quarter. — Bernama