KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade recorded a double-digit decline for two consecutive months with -14.7 per cent to RM92.7 billion in July 2021, as Malaysia went into lockdown amid worsening Covid-19 cases, the Department of Statistics said.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the motor vehicles sub-sector suffered the most, plunging -85.4 per cent or RM11.8 billion to register RM2.0 billion worth of sales, while retail trade also dropped -8.1 per cent or RM3.6 billion to RM41.1 billion.
“This was followed by wholesale trade, which fell -1.1 per cent or RM0.5 billion to reach RM49.5 billion.
“However, for month-on-month comparison, sales value increased marginally 0.5 per cent, reversing from -14.8 per cent reported last month as a few states entered Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan which allowed selected economic and distribution sectors to be operational,” said Mohd Uzir in the department’s Performance of Wholesale and Retail Trade report for July 2021, which was released today.
Looking at the performance across sub-sectors, he said the motor vehicles sub-sector growth of -85.4 per cent in July 2021 was dragged by sales of motor vehicles which slumped -83.8 per cent or RM6.8 billion to RM1.3 billion.
This was followed by the sale of motor vehicles parts and accessories with -87.4 per cent to record RM0.4 billion.
Similarly, maintenance and repair of motor vehicles also decreased -88.7 per cent to RM0.2 billion, followed by sale, maintenance and repair of motorcycles with growth of -86.9 per cent to reach RM0.1 billion, said Mohd Uzir.
“On the other hand, for month-on-month comparison, sales of this sub-sector registered a significant increase of 118.6 per cent, spearheaded by sales of motor vehicles which grew 275.1 per cent as showrooms and sales centres were allowed to operate in Phase Two states,” he added.
Mohd Uzir also noted that the index of retail sale of any kind of products over the internet recorded 9.4 per cent growth year-on-year compared to 8.7 per cent in June 2021.
“As for seasonally adjusted, the index rebounded 4.7 per cent as against -2.8 per cent recorded in the previous month,” he said.
In terms of volume index, wholesale and retail trade registered a year-on-year growth of -16.7 per cent.
— Bernama
