PUTRAJAYA (June 30): The economic performance of all states registered positive growth in 2021, with five states recording a better growth rate than the 3.1% growth rate at the national level.

Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the five states were Penang with a growth rate of 6.8%, followed by Selangor (5%), Terengganu (3.6%), Perak (3.5%), and Kedah (3.2%).

“The main drivers of the gross domestic product (GDP) performance were the manufacturing and services sectors. The manufacturing sector was one of the sectors that achieved a positive growth pattern.

“Based on this growth, we expect the nation’s economic growth pattern to grow rapidly in every state, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said in a media briefing on the 2021 economic performance by state here on Thursday (June 30).

For the GDP per capita, Mohd Uzir said 13 states and two federal territories registered an increase in the GDP per capita value compared to 2020, with seven states recording a GDP per capita value above the national level of RM47,324, namely the Federal Territory (FT) of Kuala Lumpur (RM124,232) and FT of Labuan (RM78,032), Penang (RM58,527), and Sarawak (RM57,635).

Meanwhile, Selangor recorded RM55,568, Melaka (RM47,799) and Negeri Sembilan (RM47,452).

Mohd Uzir expects the Malaysian economy to continue expanding this year, following the increase in services locally and overseas, with the government’s quick action to lessen the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic such as the reopening of the nation’s borders, implementation of aid and economic stimulus packages, as well as the success of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

He said the recovery impact was seen in the improved GDP growth rate of 5% in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022, compared with a contraction of 0.5% in Q1 2021.

Mohd Uzir said April 2022 Leading Index, which predicts the economic direction in the short term, also projected that Malaysia’s economic performance would maintain a better trend, despite facing an uncertain economic condition due to differences in the rate and time for countries that have reopened their economic activities.