Manufacturing sector’s sales value dips 6.9 pct in February

KUALA LUMPUR: The manufacturing sector’s sales value in February declined 6.9 per cent to RM46.2 billion from RM49.6 billion a year ago, the Statistics Department said yesterday.

The decreased sales value was attributed to lower sales in 71.6 per cent or 83 of the 116 industries surveyed.

On a month-on-month basis (m-o-m), sales dwindled by 8.2 per cent from the preceding month due to the 85.3 per cent slide or sales drop in 96 of the 116 industries.

The department said in a statement that sales value in January was revised to a positive 3.2 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to record RM50.3 billion.

“On a seasonally adjusted m-o-m basis, the sales value in January 2013 slipped by 9.6 per cent, as compared with the preceding month,” it said.

It said the employees engaged in the manufacturing sector in February remained unchanged from the preceding month at 1,039,676.

On a y-o-y basis, the number of employees grew by one per cent or 10,401 persons from 1,029,275 in February last year.

The total number of employees in January 2013 this year has been revised to a positive 1.6 per cent y-o-y to 1,039,682 people.

As for salaries and wages, the total payout in February 2013 fell by 1.9 per cent to RM2.67 billion on a m-o-m basis.

The total amount paid in February rose by 87.3 per cent from the same month last year.

Salaries and wages paid in January 2013 has been revised to a positive 10.7 per cent y-o-y to RM2.72 billion.

On productivity for a m-o-m basis, average sales value for an employee or productivity in February 2013, fell by 8.2 per cent to RM44,415, the department said.

Productivity in February this year shed 7.8 per cent from the same month of 2012, while productivity in January 2013 has been revised to a positive 1.5 per cent y-o-y to RM48,374, it added. — Bernama