MALAYSIA'S EXPORTS UP 25.4 PCT IN JULY

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's exports recorded an increase of 25.4 percent to RM63.4 billion in July from a year ago.

Imports increased by 14.8 percent to RM48.8 billion compared with the
corresponding month in 2007, the Malaysia External Trade Statistics said in a
statement.

Malaysia's external trade posted a surplus of RM14.5 billion, up 81.9
percent as compared with RM7.9 billion in the same month last year.

Electrical and electronic products, the largest export revenue earner,
amounting to RM24.5 billion or 38.7 percent of total exports, registered an
increase of RM2.6 billion (+11.9 percent) over the same month last
year.

Imports of intermediate goods, accounting for 72.5 percent of total
imports,
posted a 18.6 percent increase to RM35.4 billion.

Between January and July, total exports recorded a 17 percent double digit
growth to RM390.3 billion, while imports increased by 9.3 percent to RM308.3
billion as compared with RM333.6 billion (exports)and RM281.9 billion
(imports) respectively in 2007.

Malaysia's external trade balance registered a RM82 billion surplus, an
increase of RM30.3 billion (+58.7 percent) as against RM51.7 billion in the same
period last year.

Electrical and electronic products, valued at RM149.7 billion, remained as
Malaysia's leading export earner, accounting for 38.4 percent of total exports
during the January-July period.

Export revenue from this category of products increased slightly by RM2.6
billion or 1.8 percent of total exports in the first seven months of
2008.

Palm and palm oil-based products, the second largest export revenue earner,
with a total combined value of RM39 billion for the January-July period,
contributed 10.1 percent to total exports.

Exports of palm oil, the major commodity in this group of products, posted
a 87.1 percent growth to RM28.8 billion.

Crude petroleum, the third largest commodity which accounted for 6.9
percent of total exports, surged by RM9.3 billion (+52.9 percent) to RM27
billion during the period under review.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG), which made up five percent of total exports,
remained as the fourth largest export commodity.

Total LNG exports rose by 30.2 percent to RM19.6 billion in the first
seven months of this year.

Petroleum products, the fifth largest export commodity (4.6 percent of
total exports) recorded a 75.4 percent surge to RM17.9 billion over the same
period last year.

Timber and timber-based products, the sixth largest export earner worth
RM12.9 billion or 3.3 percent of total exports, declined by RM241.6 million
during the same review period last year.

Malaysia's top 10 trading partners were Singapore, the United States,
Japan,
China, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Germany.
(US$1=RM3.49)
--BERNAMA