KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 ― The Building Material Cost Index (BCI) (without steel bars) for October 2020 increased 0.1 per cent in several states for almost all building categories, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).

The states which recorded an increase are Kedah, Penang and Perlis in region A, Perak (region B), Johor (region D), and Terengganu and Kelantan (region F).

In a statement today, chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the BCI in Kota Kinabalu increased 0.4 per cent for single-storey steel frame (building) and 0.8 per cent for single-storey steel frame (tower).

The BCI in Sandakan also increased 0.1 per cent for almost all building categories while the BCI in Tawau and Sibu remained unchanged as the previous month.

"The BCI in Kuching and Miri increased between 0.1 and 0.4 per cent for almost all building categories,” he said.

Meanwhile, the performance of BCI (with steel bars) in region A (Kedah, Penang, Perlis), region B (Perak), region E (Pahang), and region F (Terengganu and Kelantan) increased between 0.1 and 0.6 per cent for almost all building categories.

Mohd Uzir said the BCI in region D (Johor) increased 0.1 per cent for reinforced concrete (RC) piling only, while the BCI in region C (Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan) remained unchanged.

He said the BCI in Sabah increased between 0.1 and 2.1 per cent, but single-storey frame (tower) decreased 0.8 per cent in Kota Kinabalu.

"The BCI in Kuching and Miri increased between 0.2 and 0.5 per cent for almost all building categories and the BCI in Sibu remain unchanged,” he added. ― Bernama