KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — The services sector revenue contracted by 2.1 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM428.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021 (Q1 2021), said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the wholesale and retail trade, food and beverages (F&B), and accommodation segment decreased 0.2 per cent to RM346.7 billion, while the information and communication and transportation and storage segment fell 6.4 per cent to RM59.8 billion.
He said health, education and arts, and entertainment and recreation segment also experienced a 23.1 per cent drop to RM12.9 billion, while the professional and real estate agent segment declined 8.1 per cent to RM9.0 billion.
“The performance of services sector in Q1 2021 showed a low growth as the country is still facing the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The economy is expected to recover in the next quarter as economic activities are still permitted to resume full operations,” he said in a statement today.
On quarterly basis, Mohd Uzir said total revenue decreased 1.7 per cent to RM428.5 billion.
The number of persons engaged in this sector declined by 2.2 per cent y-o-y to 3.7 million persons.
“This decrease was attributed by wholesale and retail trade; F&B and accommodation segment with a drop of 48,705 persons, followed by health, education and arts; entertainment and recreation with 7,253 persons,” he said.
On a quarterly basis, the number of persons engaged reduced by 10,892 persons or 0.3 per cent.
Mohd Uzir said in line with the drop in the number of persons engaged, salaries and wages paid also declined 3.1 per cent y-o-y to RM24.2 billion.
“This was contributed by information and communication; and transportation and storage segment with a drop of 10.5 per cent, followed by wholesale and retail trade; F&B and accommodation segment which slipped 1.0 per cent.
“On quarter-on-quarter comparison, salaries and wages fell RM466.7 million or 1.9 per cent,” he added. — Bernama
