Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s headline inflation increased to 1.4 percent in April 2025, with the consumer price index reaching 134.3 compared to 132.4 in the same month a year ago.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Statistics Department Malaysia (DOSM) attributed this rise to a notable 4.1 percent increase in the personal care, social protection, and miscellaneous goods and services group, which was higher than the 3.6 percent hike recorded in March 2025.
DOSM’s statement highlighted that the education sector saw a rise of 2.3 percent, slightly up from 2.2 percent in March 2025, while housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels increased by 2.0 percent, compared to 1.9 percent in the previous month. Conversely, some groupings recorded a slower increase compared to March 2025, including food and beverages, which fell to 2.3 percent from 2.5 percent; recreation, sport, and culture, down to 1.3 percent from 1.7 percent; health, which decreased to 0.9 percent from 1.0 percent; and furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance, which dropped to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent.
According to DOSM, other groups such as restaurant and accommodation services (2.9 percent), insurance and financial services (1.5 percent), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (0.8 percent), and transport (0.7 percent) maintained similar rates as the previous month. Information and communication, as well as clothing and footwear, remained in negative territory, registering -4.5 percent and -0.1 percent, respectively, DOSM chief statistician Datuk Sri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin stated.
Dr. Mohd Uzir further commented that the food and beverages group, which contributes 29.8 percent of the total CPI weight, experienced a slower increase due to the falling prices of vegetables, dairy products, fruits and nuts, cereals, and meat. The subgroup of food at home saw a modest rise of 0.5 percent compared to 0.6 percent in March.
The average price for diesel in Peninsular Malaysia was RM2.95 per litre, down from RM3.08 in March 2025, but higher compared to RM2.15 in April 2024. Meanwhile, the average diesel price in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan remained consistent at RM2.15 per litre.
DOSM noted that Kelantan and Putrajaya experienced the lowest increase in inflation at 0.5 percent, while four states recorded inflation rates above the national level: Johor at 2.2 percent, Negeri Sembilan at 1.7 percent, Selangor at 1.7 percent, and Melaka at 1.6 percent. In comparison, Vietnam’s inflation stood at 3.1 percent, Indonesia’s at 2.0 percent, while Thailand and China recorded deflation rates of -0.2 percent and -0.1 percent, respectively.