The sales value of the Manufacturing sector in December 2015 decreased by 1.2% (RM0.7 billion) to record RM55.6 billion as compared to RM56.3 billion reported a year ago (Chart 1). Meanwhile, month-on-month basis, the sales value increased by 0.2% (RM0.1 billion) compared with the preceding month. The sales value in November 2015 remained unchanged.

On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month, the sales value in December 2015 decreased by 3.1%.

Year-on-year, the decrease in sales value in December 2015 was due to the decrease in 42 of 138 industries surveyed. Table A shows the five (5) industries that recorded decrease in sales value on yearly basis.

Table A : Sales value of manufacturing industries 

Industries

Manufacture of refined petroleum products

12,448.1

7,403.7

5,044.4

40.5

Manufacture of passenger cars

2,201.3

1,947.6

253.7

11.5

Manufacture of rubber gloves

943.9

705.7

238.2

25.2

Production of pig iron and spiegeleisen in pigs, blocks or other primary forms, bars and rods of stainless steel or other alloy steel, seamless tubes, by hot rolling, hot extrusion or hot drawing, or by cold drawing or cold rolling, other basic iron and steel products n.e.c.

1,872.7

1,711.6

161.1

8.6

Manufacture of communication equipment

912.2

819.1

93.1

10.2

Total employees engaged in the Manufacturing sector in December 2015 was 1,027,044 persons, a decrease of 0.4% or 4,182 persons as compared to 1,031,226 persons in December 2014 (Chart 2). Meanwhile, month-on-month basis, the number of employees decreased by 0.2% as compared to 1,028,791 persons in the preceding month.

Year-on-year basis, salaries & wages paid in December 2015 increased by 7.2% (RM220.0 million) as compared with the corresponding month of the previous year. Meanwhile, month-on-month basis, the total amount paid in December 2015, increased by 7.0% (RM213.5 million) to register RM3,260.7 million.

The average salaries & wages paid per employee increased by 7.7% in December 2015 as compared to the same month in 2014. Meanwhile, average salaries & wages paid per employee registered RM3,175 in December 2015, an increase of 7.2% compared to previous month.

Productivity or average sales value per employee in December 2015 decreased by 0.8% as compared with the same month of the previous year. Meanwhile, productivity in December 2015 increased by 0.3% month-on-month to register RM54,145 (Chart 3).

During January – December 2015,  the sales value of the Manufacturing sector increased 1.2% to register RM664.3 billion. The number of employees engaged during the period, decreased by 0.4% to register 1,027,044 persons.

Cumulatively, productivity increased by 1.6% to record RM646,791 as shown in Table B.

Sales Value (RM million)

656,453.3

664,283.2

1.2

Number of Employees

1,031,226

1,027,044

-0.4

Salaries & Wages (RM million)

34,337.6

36,320.6

5.8

Productivity (RM)

636,576

646,791

1.6