KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade sales tumbled 10.3 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM92.2 billion in June, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said this was the lowest growth recorded this year as Malaysia went into total lockdown amid worsening COVID-19 cases.
“The motor vehicles sub-sector suffered the most, plunging 92.4 per cent, or RM11.2 billion, to register only RM0.9 billion worth of sales,” he said in a statement.
Retail trade dropped 2.9 per cent, or RM1.2 billion, to RM40.6 billion, while wholesale trade grew 3.6 per cent, or RM1.8 billion, to reach RM50.7 billion.
On a month-on-month (m-o-m) comparison, sales value slid 14.8 per cent in June 2021.
The retail trade sub-sector contracted 2.9 per cent as sales in non-specialised stores declined 7.2 per cent, or RM1.1 billion, to RM14.8 billion, the first negative growth this year despite being allowed to operate during the lockdown period.
Retail sales of automotive fuels also tumbled 21.6 per cent to RM2.5 billion, followed by sales declines in specialised stores, food, beverages and tobacco.
However, other groups in the sub-sector recorded positive growth, namely household goods at 6.6 per cent; retail sale of information and communication equipment 5.5 per cent; cultural and recreation goods 3.7 per cent; retail sale not in stores, stalls or markets 17.0 per cent; and stalls and markets 2.8 per cent.
On a monthly comparison, retail trade fell 6.4 per cent with all groups in this sub-sector registering negative growth.
The wholesale trade sub-sector grew 3.6 per cent in June, supported by other specialised wholesale trades which jumped 17.2 per cent, or RM3.0 billion, to RM20.2 billion followed by wholesale of agricultural raw materials and live animals, which expanded 2.9 per cent, or RM0.1 billion, to RM4.6 billion.
Wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco declined 9.2 per cent followed by wholesale on a fee or contract basis, which tumbled 22.5 per cent.
On a month-on-month comparison, sales of this sub-sector contracted 4.8 per cent.
The index of retail sale of any kind of product over the internet, which represented e-commerce activity, recorded 8.7 per cent growth year-on-year in June, compared to 15.8 per cent in May.
“Seasonally adjusted, the index slipped 2.8 per cent against the previous month,” Uzir noted.
In terms of volume index, wholesale and retail trade contracted 12.4 per cent y-o-y.
The chief statistician noted that the contraction was caused by motor vehicles, which plunged 92.8 per cent, followed by retail trade and wholesale trade which fell 3.5 per cent and 0.1 per cent, respectively.
Seasonally adjusted volume index dived 17.5 per cent m-o-m.
