Sand Unit Price Index Rises 0.4-14.5 Pct Nationwide In April 2026 -- DOSM
KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 (Bernama) -- The unit price index of sand has jumped in April 2026, ranging from 0.4 per cent to 14.5 per cent nationwide, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the highest increase in the price index for this material was recorded in Terengganu and Kelantan (14.5 per cent), followed by Pahang (14.4 per cent) and Miri (14.1 per cent).
He further said the unit price index of steel also rose in April 2026, ranging from 0.1 per cent to 6.1 per cent month-on-month (m-o-m).
“The highest increase in the price index for the material was recorded in Perak (6.1 per cent), followed by Johor (2.7 per cent) and Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan (2.4 per cent),” he said.
Additionally, DOSM reported that the price index of cement registered an increase in April 2026, with changes ranging from 0.1 per cent to 6.0 per cent m-o-m across all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
It said the highest increase in the price index for the material was recorded in Sibu (6.0 per cent), followed by Johor (3.9 per cent) and Miri (3.5 per cent).
On a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, DOSM said the unit price index for sand recorded an increase ranging from 2.8-18.6 per cent, involving most areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak,
“The highest y-o-y increase in the unit price index for sand was observed in Miri (18.6 per cent), followed by Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Terengganu and Kelantan (16 per cent),” it said.
At the same time, the unit price index of cement increased by 1.0-7.5 per cent y-o-y in April 2026 across all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, with the highest increase observed in Kuching (7.5 per cent), followed by Perak (6.9 per cent) and Miri (6.7 per cent).
Meanwhile, Mohd Uzir said the average price per unit of steel, consisting of mild steel round bars and Mycon 60 high-tensile deformed bars, recorded an increase of 2.3 per cent m-o-m, with an average price of RM3,504.20 per metric tonne (MT) as compared to RM3,426.80 per MT in March 2026.
The average price of Ordinary Portland cement also showed an increase of 1.3 per cent with an average price of RM25.90 per 50 kilogramme (kg) bag, as compared of RM25.55 per 50 kg bag in March 2026.
On the other hand, the Building Material Cost Index (BCI) with steel bars, by building category and region in Peninsular Malaysia for April 2026, rose by 0.1-3.7 per cent m-o-m.
“However, there was a slight decline in the BCI with steel bars for categories of timber building and timber piling, ranging from -0.1 per cent to -1.2 per cent, recorded in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan,” according to DOSM.
The department also reported that the BCI with steel bars in Sabah recorded a slight increase, ranging from 0.1-0.7 per cent m-o-m for all building categories in April 2026, while BCI with steel bars in Sarawak saw an increase of 0.4-5.6 per cent m-o-m for all categories of buildings.
-- BERNAMA