KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The value of the completed work of Malaysian construction surged 14.2 percent year on year to 36.8 billion ringgit (7.75 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter, official data showed Monday.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that the vibrant performance was attributable to the stronger expansion in the civil engineering sub-sector, which jumped 24.7 percent.
Additionally, the special trades activities and residential building sub-sectors both experienced double-digit increases of 11.8 percent and 11.5 percent, respectively.
In the meantime, the non-residential buildings sub-sector also expanded at a faster pace of 3.8 percent.
Out of the total value, civil engineering amounted to 15.1 billion ringgit or 41.1 percent, driven primarily by the construction of roads and railways activity.
Meanwhile, the value of the work done for non-residential buildings and residential buildings was 10.2 billion ringgit (27.7 percent) and 7.8 billion ringgit (21.1 percent), respectively.
The special trade activities made up 3.7 billion ringgit (10 percent), largely in electrical installation; plumbing, heat and air-conditioning installation; and site preparation activities.
According to the DOSM, the private sector accounted for 59.2 percent of the total construction work done. ■