The consumer price index (CPI) - a measure for inflation - in October was 1.5 percent lower compared to the same period last year.
This is the ninth straight month Malaysia has been experiencing deflation.
The CPI for the period of January to October 2020 decreased one percent compared to the same period last year.
The decrease was attributed to transport (-10 percent), housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-1.5 percent) and clothing and footwear (-0.8 percent).
The CPI is a measure of the price of 552 goods. Sustained deflation does not mean that goods across the board are getting cheaper.
Department of Statistics chief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin explained that 337 items increased in price compared to the year before.
Items falling under the "food and non-alcoholic beverages" category increased by 1.5 percent compared to the corresponding month of the preceding year.
However, the CPI is weighed down by items related to fuel.
"The CPI without fuel shows a positive rate of 0.1 percent in October 2020 as compared to October 2019," said Uzir.
The average price of RON95 petrol in October 2020 was RM1.67 per litre compared to RM2.08 in October 2019. - Mkini
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