KUALA LUMPUR, – Food prices and construction material costs in Malaysia are expected to continue rising due to ongoing global supply chain disruptions, according to Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
He stated that price monitoring conducted from April 20 to 22 showed that several basic food items recorded increases, although still within a moderate range. Among them, chicken prices rose 3.3% to RM9.70 per kilogram, Grade C eggs increased 7.3%, spinach rose nearly 5% to RM5.59 per kilogram, while fresh coconut milk increased 3.6% to RM16.41 per kilogram.
According to him, these increases reflect early pressure from higher input costs such as fertilizers, diesel, energy, raw materials, as well as logistics and distribution expenses. Therefore, price monitoring needs to cover the entire supply chain, not just retail-level prices.
In the construction sector, project costs have also increased significantly, with an average rise of 12.6%, driven mainly by higher diesel, bitumen, and logistics costs. Construction materials account for more than 60% of total construction costs, which is expected to impact the implementation of ongoing infrastructure projects.
Despite cost pressures, the government emphasized its commitment to continuing key projects such as road construction, schools, clinics, and other essential facilities to ensure that national development remains uninterrupted.
Meanwhile, the labour market is expected to face greater pressure in the second quarter of 2026 due to delayed impacts from the global energy crisis. Data from the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) showed that unemployment benefit applications declined from 7,512 cases in February to 5,855 cases in March, and 5,734 cases in early April. The sectors most affected include manufacturing, services, information technology, hospitality, and transportation.
To reduce the impact of these economic pressures, the government is focusing on strengthening social protection, improving workforce skills training, supporting gig workers, as well as empowering youth and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
At the same time, global oil prices remain unstable despite showing slight declines. Brent crude oil prices reportedly fell 6.7% to US$109.94 per barrel between April 20 and 24, 2026, before rising again to US$113.34 per barrel on April 27, reflecting continued uncertainty in global supply.
The government stressed that its main priorities now are stabilizing the supply of essential goods, controlling the cost of living, protecting employment opportunities, and ensuring the continuation of development projects to strengthen the country’s long-term economic resilience.
