Malaysia Sales Inch Up in August

Malaysian new-vehicle sales rose a scant 0.8% in August to 47,585 units from 47,189 year-ago, the Malaysian Automotive Assn. reports.

The result was a 5.9% increase over July deliveries of 44,926 units.

“Sales improved in August because of higher disposal income, lifted by the 7.5% to 35% salary increase for civil servants and new model introductions,” the MAA says in a statement, noting September sales should stay at about the same level as August.

New-car sales in August slipped 0.5% to 43,183 units from prior-year’s 43,393, but commercial-vehicle deliveries climbed 15.9% to 4,402 from 3,796 in like-2006.

Year-to-date, new-vehicle sales of 313,250 units were down 7.7% from 339,519 year-ago. Of that total, new-car deliveries fell 7.9% to 284,650 from 309,037.