Why slower inflation has not made Malaysia’s food cheaper

Malaysia’s headline inflation eased from 1.9% in June to 1.8% in July 2026, but that means prices are rising more slowly — not falling. The consumer price index showed increases for 374 of 573 items, while 157 declined and 42 were unchanged.

Food and beverage inflation rose to 1.8% in July, with meat prices up 3.2% year over year and food away from home up 2.5%. Chicken increased from RM10.25 per kilogram in 2025 to RM10.88 in 2026.

Households can continue to feel pressure because earlier price increases remain in place. Ingredient costs, wages, rent, transport, utilities and global commodity prices all affect what consumers pay, while Malaysia’s headline CPI rose 9.3% from 2019 to 2024 compared with a 7.2% increase in nominal wages per worker.

Read the full story at malaymail.com.