In a statement today, the ministry of investment, trade and industry (Miti) said export growth remained robust for the third straight month, rising 12.2% y-o-y to RM138.68 billion, while imports rebounded by 7.3% to RM118.82 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM19.86 billion.
The ministry said that September’s export growth was recorded across all sectors, with expansion in the manufacturing sector led by electrical and electronic (E&E) products, which posted their highest value, increasing by nearly RM11 billion.
It said other main contributors included machinery, equipment and parts, as well as optical and scientific equipment.
“Meanwhile, the mining sector rebounded after 13 months of contraction, mainly due to higher exports of metalliferous ores and metal scrap.
“As for the agriculture sector, palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products recorded the largest increase,” it said.
According to Miti, Malaysia recorded an uptick in exports to major trading partners, namely Asean, China, the US, Taiwan and the European Union.
“Exports continued to expand to free trade agreement partners with significant increases registered for Mexico, India, Australia, New Zealand, Turkiye, the UK, Pakistan and Canada,” it said.
For the period from January to September 2025, it said that trade, exports, and imports recorded their highest cumulative value, with trade rising 4.4% to RM2.235 trillion y-o-y, with exports rising 4.8% to RM1.170 trillion and imports up by 4.0% to RM1.064 trillion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM105.65 billion.
Miti said the World Trade Organization has raised its forecast for world merchandise trade volume growth in 2025 to 2.4% (compared with 0.9% in April 2025), driven by higher spending on artificial intelligence-related products, a rise in North American imports ahead of tariff hikes and strong trade in other regions.
It said that in line with the global trend, the World Bank has revised Malaysia’s 2025 economic growth upward to 4.1% (compared with 3.9% in April 2025), reflecting steady domestic demand and stronger-than-expected external demand, especially in the E&E sector.
Furthermore, the Economic Outlook 2026 projects Malaysia’s trade to expand by 3.9% in 2025, with exports growing by 3.3% and imports increasing by 4.6%, it said.
However, the ministry said ongoing trade tensions and the possibility of new tariff measures among major economies remain key challenges.
It said this may lead to supply chain disruptions, increased costs for exporters, and volatility in Malaysia’s trade environment, potentially affecting the country’s ability to sustain steady growth.
“Malaysian exporters are therefore advised to diversify their markets, strengthen supply chain resilience and keep abreast of trade policy changes.
“With the support and guidance from Miti and Malaysia external trade development corporation, exporters can better navigate these risks and seize new opportunities in the global market,” said the ministry.