KL manufacturing sales surge

KL manufacturing sales surge

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian manufacturing sales in December rose
20.8 percent from the year-earlier period, official data showed
on Wednesday, due to what economists called a "torrid pace of
activity" in sales and output.

The country's manufacturing sales rose to 30.8 billion ringgit
(US$8.1 billion) in December, up 6.6 percent from the month
before, the Statistics Department said in a statement.

For 2003 as a whole, manufacturing sales rose 10.9 percent
from 2002 to 341.1 billion ringgit, with total salaries and wages
paid increasing 6.1 percent to 19.2 billion ringgit, the
department said.

Azrul Azwar, economist with MIDF Sisma Holdings Bhd. said in
December, the manufacturing sector staged a "torrid pace of
activity," as both final sales and output grew at double digit
pace.

"Forward looking, continued firming of order books may force
manufacturers to shift out their products faster hence we can
expect another year of growth for manufacturing sales into 2004
although at a slower pace of 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent," he
said.

In December, the manufacturing sector had a total of 1.007
million employees, up 3.8 percent year-on-year and 0.4 percent
higher month-on-month.

Total salaries and wages paid in December increased 5.9
percent year-on-year to 1.8 billion ringgit, and rose 12.5
percent from November, it added.--AFP