Malaysia’s trade performance strengthened sharply in August 2026, with total trade rising 43.4% year-on-year to RM354 billion, driven by double-digit growth in both exports and imports, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Exports increased 45.5% to RM191.0 billion, while imports rose 41.1% to RM163.0 billion. As a result, the trade surplus expanded 77.1% to RM28.1 billion, marking Malaysia’s 76th consecutive month of trade surplus since May 2020.
Domestic exports, which accounted for 79.0% of total exports, rose 46.0% to RM151.0 billion, while re-exports increased 43.3% to RM40.1 billion.
Export growth was led by electrical and electronic products, which increased by RM36.9 billion from a year earlier. Other major contributors included other manufactures, up RM13.7 billion, liquefied natural gas by RM2.1 billion, petroleum products by RM2.0 billion, machinery, equipment and parts by RM1.9 billion, and manufactures of metal by RM1.7 billion.
The United States recorded the largest increase in Malaysian exports, rising by RM21.2 billion, followed by Singapore at RM11.3 billion, Taiwan at RM7.2 billion, Hong Kong at RM5.3 billion, China at RM3.4 billion, Japan at RM3.0 billion and the European Union at RM2.3 billion.
Imports were similarly dominated by electrical and electronic products, which increased by RM38.3 billion. Other major increases came from crude petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, equipment and parts, metal manufactures and optical and scientific equipment.
China accounted for the largest increase in imports at RM16.9 billion, followed by Taiwan at RM8.8 billion, Singapore at RM7.0 billion, South Korea at RM5.9 billion, Vietnam at RM1.8 billion, and Japan and the United Arab Emirates at RM1.1 billion each.
By end use, imports of intermediate goods rose 50.5% to RM90.7 billion, accounting for 55.6% of total imports, while capital goods increased 37.4% to RM21.6 billion. Consumption goods, however, declined 1.6% to RM9.3 billion.
On a month-on-month basis, exports fell 1.3%, imports dropped 4.7% and total trade declined 2.9% from July. The trade surplus nevertheless increased 24.7%, or RM5.6 billion.
For the first eight months of 2026, Malaysia’s total trade rose 27.0% to RM2.5 trillion from RM2.0 trillion a year earlier. Exports grew 31.2%, imports increased 22.4% and the cumulative trade surplus more than doubled, rising 127.6% to RM198.7 billion.
DOSM said Malaysia’s trade performance remained resilient, supported mainly by electrical and electronic products and stronger trade with major international partners.
