KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 ― Malaysia’s total trade for March 2023 amounted to RM232.7 billion, 1.6 per cent lower year-on-year, said the Department of Statistics (DOSM) today.

Exports eased 1.4 per cent year-on-year to RM129.7 billion while imports fell 1.8 per cent year-on-year to RM103 billion, DOSM said in a statement.

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the export performance by states showed that the decrease in exports was due to the lower exports in most states, namely Kuala Lumpur (-RM775.6 million), Kedah (-RM730.3 million), Sabah (-RM651.7 million), Pahang (-RM637.9 million), Terengganu (-RM405.1 million), Perak (-RM366.0 million), Johor (-RM242.9 million) and Kelantan (-RM71.0 million).

However, exports increased in Sarawak by RM740.6 million, Negeri Sembilan (RM369.3 million), Labuan (RM293.6 million), Penang (RM279.6 million), Melaka (RM165.7 million), Selangor (RM37.8 million) and Perlis (RM6.2 million), he added.

Looking at the performance of imports by state, Mohd Uzir said imports also decreased by 1.8 per cent year-on-year to RM1.90 billion in March 2023 compared to the same month of the previous year.

The decrease in imports was due to the lower imports in most states such as Melaka (-RM4.1 billion), Negeri Sembilan (-RM877.6 million), Pulau Pinang (-RM701.5 million), Kedah (-RM559.7 million), Pahang (-RM450.3 million), Selangor (-RM72.1 million), Labuan (-RM18.9 million) and Sabah (-RM16.7 million).

However, imports increased in Johor by RM3.8 billion, Kuala Lumpur (RM619.8 million), Sarawak (RM262.4 million), Terengganu (RM192.0 million), Perlis (RM52 million), Kelantan (RM26.7 million) and Perak (RM1.1 million), Mohd Uzir said.

Penang, Johor and Selangor remained the main exporters, contributing 70.2 per cent of the country’s total exports in March.

Among the top five major exporting states, Penang remained the top exporter with a share of 31.9 per cent, followed by Johor (19.9 per cent), Selangor (18.4 per cent), Sarawak (8.2 percent) and Kuala Lumpur (3.5 per cent), said Mohd Uzir.

As for imports, Selangor was the largest contributor with a share of 25.6 per cent, followed by Johor (23.4 per cent), Pulau Pinang (22.2 percent), Kuala Lumpur (7.5 per cent) and Kedah (5.2 per cent). ― Bernama