The manufacturing industry operated at 79.4 per cent capacity utilisation in 3Q 2023, down 1.9 percentage points year-on-year (y-o-y) while expanding every quarter. "The decline in the capacity utilisation rate in 4Q 2023 mirrored the trend of the manufacturing industrial production Index, which slipped by 0.2 per cent (3Q 2023: -0.1 per cent). In comparison with the previous quarter, the capacity utilisation rate in export-oriented industries increased slightly by 0.02 percentage points. Six states experienced a y-o-y decrease in capacity utilisation, namely Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Perlis, Terengganu and Sarawak. Perlis continued to record the lowest capacity utilisation rate at 72.3 per cent, he said.

Source: The Star February 21, 2024 08:35 UTC