KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — Malaysia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) increased 1.5 per cent year-on-year in February 2021, propelled by the 4.5 per cent rise in the manufacturing index, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said conversely, the mining and electricity index dropped 6.0 per cent and 5.8 per cent, respectively.

On the manufacturing sector, he said the output rose by 4.5 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in February 2021.

"The major sub-sectors contributing to the growth in the manufacturing sector in February 2021 were electrical and electronics products (10.3 per cent), petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (8.9 per cent) as well as transport equipment and other manufactures (3.2 per cent),” he said in a statement today.

He said the export-oriented industries drove the manufacturing sector’s growth by 5.8 per cent, while domestic-oriented industries increased by 1.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, Mohd Uzir said the mining sector’s output dropped 6.0 per cent y-o-y in February 2021 due to the decrease in crude oil and condensate index (-11.5 per cent) and natural gas index (-1.6 per cent), while the electricity sector’s output contracted 5.8 per cent y-o-y in February 2021.  — Bernama