KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's inflation rose 4.7 percent year on year in April, the highest since 2018, due to the spike in fuel prices, official data showed Friday.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia said in a statement that the increase in the consumer price index (CPI) was driven by the index of transport which surged 27 percent due to the low base effect from the preceding year.
"The trend is expected to continue until the first quarter of 2022," it said.
Meanwhile, the index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose 3.1 percent, while food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 1.9 percent.
The core index which excludes most volatile items of fresh food as well as administered prices of goods and services, rose 0.7 percent in April compared to the same month of the previous year.
On a monthly basis, CPI increased by 0.2 percent compared to March.
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