Malaysia’s total trade reached RM364.7 billion in July 2026, with exports surging 38.2% year-on-year and imports rising 36.4%, as Penang, Johor and Selangor collectively accounted for 79.4% of the country’s trade, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Exports were valued at RM193.6 billion during the month, while imports amounted to RM171.1 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM22.5 billion.
Penang remained Malaysia’s largest exporting state by a wide margin, accounting for 48.4% of total exports in July.
Johor contributed 19.1%, followed by Selangor at 14.7%, Sarawak at 5.2% and Kuala Lumpur at 2.9%.
Penang was also the largest contributor to Malaysia’s imports, accounting for 30% of the national total.
Selangor followed with a 23.4% share, Johor at 22.9%, Kuala Lumpur at 9.6% and Kedah at 3.9%.
Malaysia’s exports increased by RM53.5 billion, or 38.2%, compared with July 2025, driven overwhelmingly by higher shipments from Penang.
Penang alone recorded a RM40.4 billion year-on-year increase in exports, accounting for about three-quarters of the overall increase recorded nationally.
Johor’s exports increased by RM10.1 billion, while Selangor recorded an increase of RM3.7 billion.
Higher exports were also recorded in Sarawak, which saw an increase of RM1.6 billion, followed by Perak at RM511.9 million and Kedah at RM511 million.
Kuala Lumpur’s exports increased by RM507 million, while Kelantan and Negeri Sembilan recorded increases of RM153.7 million and RM35 million, respectively.
Several states, however, recorded lower exports compared with a year earlier.
Sabah registered the largest decline at RM1.9 billion, followed by Pahang with a RM1 billion decrease.
Exports from Labuan fell RM405.1 million, while Terengganu declined RM208.8 million, Melaka RM156.9 million and Perlis RM31.1 million.
Malaysia’s imports increased by RM45.7 billion, or 36.4%, year-on-year to RM171.1 billion in July.
Penang was again the biggest contributor to the increase, with imports rising RM21.8 billion from July 2025.
Selangor recorded a RM7.8 billion increase, while imports into Kuala Lumpur and Johor each rose by RM7.3 billion.
Kedah’s imports increased by RM1.5 billion, followed by Sarawak at RM810.2 million, Pahang at RM789.5 million and Negeri Sembilan at RM594.3 million.
Sabah recorded an increase of RM268.5 million, Perak RM180.3 million and Labuan RM145.6 million.
In contrast, Melaka recorded the largest decline in imports, falling RM1.3 billion from a year earlier.
Imports also declined by RM43.9 million in Perlis, RM24.7 million in Kelantan and RM4 million in Terengganu.
The July figures underscore the significant role of Malaysia’s key industrial and trading hubs, particularly Penang, Johor and Selangor, which together accounted for nearly four-fifths of the country’s total trade during the month.
