Kuala lumpur: Labour productivity per hour worked rose 3.8 per cent to RM45.1 in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest Labour Productivity Statistics released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin reported that Malaysia's economy grew 5.2 per cent in the third quarter of 2025, up from 4.4 per cent in the previous quarter. The total hours worked increased by 1.3 per cent to 9.8 billion hours, compared to a 1.0 per cent increase and 9.7 billion hours in the second quarter of 2025.
The statement revealed that the number of employed persons in the third quarter of 2025 rose to 17.0 million, marking a year-on-year growth of 1.5 per cent, slightly down from the 1.6 per cent growth in the second quarter with 16.8 million employed persons. Labour productivity per employment increased by 3.6 per cent, reaching a value added per employment of RM26,052 per person, up from a 2.8 per cent increase and RM24,893 per person in the second quarter.
On sectoral performance for labour productivity, Mohd Uzir highlighted that value added per hour worked saw growth across all sectors. The construction sector led with a 10.2 per cent increase, followed by mining and quarrying at 9.7 per cent, manufacturing at 4.2 per cent, services at 2.9 per cent, and agriculture at 1.3 per cent.
The services sector's labour productivity per hour worked in the third quarter of 2025 was driven by expansion in all subsectors, except finance and insurance, which declined by 2.4 per cent, and utilities, which saw a marginal decrease of 0.03 per cent. Other services led the performance with a 5.6 per cent growth, followed by real estate and business services at 5.5 per cent, food and beverages and accommodation at 5.4 per cent, transportation and storage at 3.6 per cent, wholesale and retail trade at 3.4 per cent, and information and communication at 2.0 per cent.
In terms of labour productivity measured by value added per employment, varying levels of improvement were observed across sectors. The construction sector saw a 10.8 per cent increase, with mining and quarrying at 8.9 per cent, manufacturing at 3.5 per cent, services at 2.8 per cent, and agriculture at 0.5 per cent.
Mohd Uzir underscored Malaysia's positive outlook on labour productivity, citing growth across all economic sectors driven by stable economic conditions and labour market reforms. He emphasized the importance of strengthening human capital development through continuous investment in digital transformation, communication, and analytics, noting that future productivity gains depend heavily on skills development and technology adoption.