KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 ― Malaysia’s manufacturing sales in July 2021 grew a marginal 0.6 per cent to RM119.8 billion compared to the same month in 2020.

Compared to June 2021, the sales value decreased by 3.6 per cent, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the sales value in July 2021 was driven by the petroleum, chemical, rubber, and plastic products subsectors (42.3 per cent), especially in the manufacturing of coke and refined petroleum products industries.

The expansion was also attributed to the food, beverages, and tobacco products subsector (7.1 per cent) supported by the production of food products.

There was a total of 2.21 million employees engaged in the manufacturing sector in July 2021, an increase of 0.8 per cent compared to 2.19 million in July 2020.

The increase was contributed by the employees in electrical and electronic products (3.4 per cent) and petroleum, chemical, rubber, and plastics products (2.5 per cent), he said.

Salaries and wages paid in July 2021 amounted to RM7.19 billion, an increase of 1.5 per cent or RM104 million against the same month of the preceding year.

The average salary per employee was RM3,255 in July 2021.

However, the sales value per employee decreased by 0.2 per cent to RM54,222 compared with the same month in 2020 (July 2020: RM54,356). ― Bernama