By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 21: Sarawak continued to demonstrate steady socioeconomic performance in the first quarter of 2026 (Q1 2026), supported by a stable labour market, population growth, and rising inflation, despite softer business sentiment, according to the latest State Socioeconomic Indicators, Sarawak First Quarter 2026 publication released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
At the national level, DOSM stated that Malaysia’s economy expanded by 5.4 per cent in Q1 2026, reaching RM437.7 billion, compared to 6.2 per cent in the previous quarter.
Chief Statistician of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, said the performance reflected the resilience of economic fundamentals despite a challenging global environment.
“Malaysia’s economy continued to expand in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting the resilience of economic fundamentals and stable growth conditions amid a challenging global environment,” he said in a media release today.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded an increase of 1.2 per cent in March 2026, up from 0.9 per cent in February. The rise reflects broader inflationary pressures linked to global commodity price uncertainties and shifting cost conditions in the domestic market.
Sarawak’s external trade performance recorded a moderation in Q1 2026. Exports declined by 0.8 per cent to RM25.3 million compared to RM27.5 million in the same period last year, while imports fell to RM5.9 million from RM6.9 million.
The declines indicate softer trade activity, aligning with a broader slowdown across both import and export components.
Despite slight fluctuations, Sarawak’s labour market remained broadly stable, supported by continued economic activity and sustained demand for workers.
The labour force increased slightly to 1.262 million persons in Q1 2026, compared to 1.261 million in Q4 2025. However, the labour force participation rate edged down marginally to 69.7 per cent from 69.8 per cent.
Employed persons totalled 1.219 million, compared to 1.222 million in the previous quarter, while the unemployment rate rose to 3.4 per cent from 3.1 per cent.
Forward-looking indicators suggest a more cautious business outlook. The net balance of business expectations stood at -1.3 per cent for January to June 2026, reflecting growing pessimism among firms regarding near-term economic conditions.
Manufacturing sector performance remained moderate, with industrial capacity utilisation recorded at 76.5 per cent in Q1 2026, indicating stable but restrained operational activity.
Sarawak’s population rose slightly to 2.540 million in Q1 2026, up from 2.537 million in the previous quarter. During the same period, 6,892 live births were recorded, while deaths totalled 4,076.
The publication, formerly known as State Pocket Stats, has been rebranded and enhanced with expanded coverage of key economic and social indicators at the State level.
It now includes data on agriculture sub-sectors, inflation, external trade, labour market conditions, population trends, and household income and expenditure, offering a more comprehensive reference for users and policymakers.
DOSM said the enhanced publication aims to improve understanding of state-level socioeconomic developments and provide more frequent insights to complement the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by state estimates.
Overall, Sarawak’s Q1 2026 indicators point to a resilient economy with stable labour conditions and modest demographic growth, even as external trade softens and business sentiment turns more cautious. — DayakDaily
