In September 2025, Malaysia experienced a notable 7.3% year-on-year increase in imports, reaching MYR 118.82 billion. This surge reversed the previous month's decline of 5.9% and exceeded market expectations of a 1.4% rise. It represents the most significant growth since May, fueled by a rebound in domestic demand ahead of the 2026 budget announcement.
Specifically, imports of capital goods rose by 9.3% and consumption goods by 5.1%, although there was a decline in intermediate goods (-7.6%) and dual-use goods (-29.5%). Analyzing by sector, the manufacturing sector saw a 6.1% increase in imports, notably led by a decrease in electronics and electrical (E&E) products (-12.1%) but a significant rise in transport equipment (16.8%). The agricultural sector recorded a 4.6% boost, primarily due to a substantial increase in palm oil products (253.5%). The mining sector's imports soared by 23.8%, driven by crude petroleum (37.0%) and metalliferous ores and metal scrap (52.3%).
In terms of trade partners, imports from China grew impressively by 46.6%, followed by the EU at 2.4%, Japan at 1.8%, and ASEAN countries, which saw a slight decrease of 3.1%. However, imports from the U.S. fell by 19.2%, from South Korea by 10.8%, and from Hong Kong by 14.1%. Cumulatively, from January to September, total imports rose by 4.0%, amounting to MYR 1.06 trillion.
