KUALA LUMPUR (May 12): Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade sales grew by 3.9% year-on-year (yoy) in the first quarter of 2022 (1Q22), the Department of Statistics Malaysia said. (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase was attributed to the motor vehicle subsector which grew by 8.8%, followed by retail and wholesale trade which rose by 5.1 % and 1.2% respectively.
“On a quarterly comparison (qoq), the volume index rose 0.7%, supported by retail which rose 3.2%,” it said in a statement on the wholesale and retail trade volume index for 1Q22 with 2015 as base. year.
The year-on-year expansion of the motor vehicle volume index was mainly attributable to sales of motor vehicle parts and accessories, as well as motor vehicle maintenance and repair, which posted an positive growth of 18.5% and 16.5% respectively, followed by motor vehicle sales of 9.1%, the report said.
Mohd Uzir said motorcycle sales, maintenance and repairs, however, fell by 14.1%.
On a quarterly basis, the motor vehicle volume index fell 0.9% from the previous quarter, the statement said.
According to the release, the 5.1% increase in the retail volume index was attributed to non-store retail sales, up 26.3%, followed by non-specialty in-store retail sales ( up 11.1%), retail sales of automotive fuel in specialty stores (up 11%), and sales of food, beverages and tobacco, up 6.6%.
The retail volume index rose 3.2% from the previous quarter.
At the same time, in the area of wholesale trade, the volume index recorded a positive growth of 1.2% in 1Q22 compared to a year ago, led by agricultural raw materials and live animals at 8.4 %, food, beverages and tobacco at 4.6%, household goods at 3.3% and machinery, equipment and supplies at 2.7%.
On a quarterly comparison, the wholesale trade volume index fell 1.5%, the statement said.
Adjusted for seasonal variations, the wholesale and retail trade volume index increased by 5.2% compared to the last quarter of 2021.
“All sub-sectors recorded positive growth, namely retail at 5.9%, motor vehicles at 5% and wholesale at 2.8%,” said Mohd Uzir.
