Malaysia’s manufacturing sector posted sales value of RM169.4 billion in January 2026, a rise of 7.1 per cent (December 2025: 6.4%). The Department of Statistics said the growth in sales value within the Manufacturing sector was mainly contributed by the Electrical & electronics products sub-sector, grew 15.6 per cent in January 2026 (December 2025: 12.6%).
The growth was further supported by the Food, beverages & tobacco and the Non-metallic mineral products, basic metal & fabricated metal products sub-sectors, which rose by 12.4 per cent (December 2025: 10.4%) and 5.7 per cent (December 2025: 5.3%), respectively. In comparison by month-on-month, sales value increased 0.5 per cent, from RM168.6 billion recorded in December 2025.
Sales value growth in the export-oriented industries which accounting for 70.2 per cent of total sales, improved by 7.2 per cent in January 2026 (December 2025: 6.8%). The performance was primarily influenced by the increase in the Manufacture of computer, electronics & optical products by 17.9 per cent (December 2025: 13.3%). Additionally, the Manufacture of vegetable & animal oils & fats increased by 13.0 per cent (December 2025: 11.1%), while Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. grew 7.7 per cent (December 2025: 9.2%). As compared to the sales value in the preceding month, the export-oriented industries rose 0.2 per cent.
The domestic-oriented industries expanded 6.9 per cent in January 2026, after registered 5.6 per cent a month ago. The performance was mainly supported by the growth in Manufacture of food processing products with 11.6 per cent growth in January 2026 (December 2025: 9.6%), as well as in the Manufacture of basic metals (5.9%) and Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery & equipment (5.9%). Furthermore, the domestic-oriented industries increased 1.0 per cent on a month-on-month basis.
A total of 2.4 million employees were recorded in this sector during January 2026, augmented by 1.3 per cent (December 2025: 1.1%). The augmentation was mainly driven by the Food, beverages & tobacco (2.0%); Electrical & electronics products (1.8%); and Non-metallic mineral products, basic metal & fabricated metal products (1.3%). Meanwhile, the number of employees in this sector recorded a 0.1 per cent month-on-month increase.
DOSM added that the salaries & wages paid in the Manufacturing sector also posted an expansion of 2.8 per cent (December 2025: 2.5%), amounted to RM8.71 billion in January 2026. In the meantime, the salaries & wages paid declined 4.4 per cent, compared to RM9.11 billion recorded in the prior month. Subsequently, the sales value per employee registered at RM69,779 (5.7%), while the average salaries & wages per employee was RM3,590, increased by 1.4 per cent year-on-year.
