KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade climbed 9.8 per cent year-on-year in March 2026, with sales worth RM169 billion, supported by strong seasonal consumer demand, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the growth in sales recorded in March 2026 was primarily supported by the wholesale trade and retail trade sub-sectors.
“Wholesale trade registered total sales of RM78.4 billion, increasing by RM10.6 billion year-on-year (y-o-y) or 15.7 per cent growth, while retail trade recorded sales amounting to RM72 billion, up RM5 billion (7.5 per cent) from March 2025.
“In contrast, the motor vehicles sub-sector declined by RM0.6 billion, resulting in total sales of RM18.6 billion,” he said in a statement.
On the performance of the wholesale trade sub-sector, Mohd Uzir said growth was mainly driven by other specialised wholesale, which surged 32 per cent to RM32.6 billion, driven by higher sales of petrol, diesel and lubricants following the rise in crude oil prices amid the current global economic conditions.
In addition, he said the wholesale of household goods expanded by 7.9 per cent to RM15.6 billion, supported by continued growth in the sales of pharmaceutical and medical goods, household furniture, and footwear.
Furthermore, the wholesale of agricultural raw materials and live animals recorded a 5.7 per cent increase to RM6.6 billion, mainly attributed to stronger demand for palm oil, he added.
“The retail trade sub-sector continued to demonstrate steady performance in March, led by retail sales in non-specialised stores, which expanded by 8.1 per cent to RM27.9 billion, supported by continued strength in supermarkets, mini markets, and department stores.
“Retail sales in specialised stores increased by 8.2 per cent to RM15.4 billion, due to higher demand for pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopaedic goods, perfumery and cosmetics, clothing, and jewellery, while retail sales of automotive fuels rose by 10.6 per cent, supported by increased travel activity in conjunction with the Aidilfitri celebrations,” he said.
Meanwhile, DOSM said the decline in the motor vehicles sub-sector during the month was mainly attributed to a 12.5 per cent contraction in sales of motor vehicles, which amounted to RM8.9 billion.
It said the trend was consistent with data from the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), which reported total vehicle sales of 63,489 units, while the Road Transport Department Malaysia (JPJ) recorded 67,846 vehicle registrations during the same period.
“Nevertheless, other groups within the sub-sector continued to record positive growth, including sales of motor vehicle parts and accessories (7.6 per cent), maintenance and repair of motor vehicles (9.8 per cent), as well as sales, maintenance and repair of motorcycles (0.6 per cent), reflecting sustained demand for vehicle servicing and aftermarket components,” it said.
DOSM also reported that online retail sales continued to grow in March, with the sales index rising by 6.4 per cent year-on-year, up from 5.8 per cent in the previous month, indicating sustained strong demand in the e-commerce segment.
It said digital payment activities continued to strengthen in March, with e-money transactions surging by 64.3 per cent year-on-year to RM33.3 billion, reflecting the growing adoption of cashless payment methods.
“The Real-time Retail Payments Platform (RPP) also maintained strong performance, with total transactions amounting to RM369.4 billion, representing a growth of 24.1 per cent.
“Meanwhile, financial process exchange (FPX) transactions increased by 20.4 per cent to RM48.7 billion, while credit card and debit card transactions were recorded at RM20.1 billion and RM15.5 billion, respectively,” it said.
