KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's construction sector expanded in the first quarter of 2026, with the value of work completed rising 8.5 percent year-on-year to 46.5 billion ringgit (11.84 billion U.S. dollars), driven mainly by strong growth in special trade activities and non-residential buildings, official data showed on Wednesday.
The growth moderated from the 10.3 percent increase recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
Special trade activities remained the key growth driver, surging 24.6 percent in the quarter, while the non-residential buildings sub-sector grew 12.7 percent, the department said in a statement.
The residential buildings segment recorded steady growth of 6.1 percent, whereas the civil engineering sub-sector posted marginal growth of 1.5 percent.
The private sector continued to underpin the industry's expansion, accounting for 65.6 percent of the total value of construction work done in the quarter. This segment registered a 13.2 percent increase compared with the same period last year. ■
