KL's industrial sales up

KL's industrial sales up

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's leading manufacturing industries chalked up a 28.6 percent increase in sales to 23.8 billion ringgit (US$9.5 billion) in the first two months of the year over the same period a year ago, a government report said yesterday.

The Statistics Department polled 58 manufacturing sectors for its report.

The department said the semi-conductor and electronics industry topped sales for January and February, reporting total sales of 424 million ringgit, which was 16.1 percent higher than the same period last year.

Sales were also up for clothing factories, which sold 12.1 percent more at 360.9 million ringgit; iron and steel industries, which raked in 38 percent more at 349.5 million ringgit; and printing and publishing, which had 19.8 percent more sales at 247.9 million ringgit.

Chemical industry sales were 35.2 percent higher at 347.5 million ringgit while hydraulic cement manufacturers sold 27.4 percent more at 314 million ringgit.