The country's inflation rate has seen a sharp increase to 1.9 percent in April 2026, compared to 1.7 percent recorded in March, with price pressures mainly stemming from the transport sector due to a significant increase in fuel prices.
This increase has pushed Malaysia's Consumer Price Index (CPI) to 136.9, compared to 134.3 for the same period the previous year.
Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, Malaysia's Chief Statistician, confirmed that inflation for the transport group recorded a significant jump to 4.1 percent in April, compared to 1.6 percent in March 2026.
According to him, the main driver of this increase was inflation in the private transport equipment management subgroup, which jumped to 4.8 percent, compared to 1.5 percent previously.
The increase in fuel costs was a determining factor. The average price of RON97 unleaded petrol increased to RM5.06 per litre in April 2026, compared to RM4.03 per litre in the previous month. Meanwhile, the average diesel price in Peninsular Malaysia also recorded a significant increase, increasing to RM5.92 per litre compared to RM4.12 per litre in March.
In addition, the food and beverages group, which represents 29.8 per cent of the total CPI weight, also showed an increase in inflation, recording an increase of 1.2 per cent in April compared to 1.1 per cent in March.
The increase in this group was driven by the food away from home subgroup, which saw an increase to 2.6 per cent compared to 2.3 per cent in the previous month.
The main food away from home items that contributed to the higher inflation rate included meat dishes (4.8 per cent), cakes (4.6 per cent), martabak (4.3 per cent), and nasi goreng (3.9 per cent).
However, inflation was moderated by several components of food at home, especially in the meat, milk and eggs, and vegetables categories.
Overall, a total of 63.5 percent of the 573 items (364 items) in the CPI basket recorded price increases in April 2026, but 97.8 percent of these increases were at a rate of 10 percent or less.
Despite the increase, Malaysia's inflation rate (1.9 percent) remains lower than regional peers such as the Philippines (7.2 percent), Vietnam (5.5 percent), Thailand (2.9 percent), South Korea (2.6 percent), and Indonesia (2.4 percent).
