Kuala lumpur: 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).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin stated that the highest increase in the sand price index was recorded in Terengganu and Kelantan at 14.5 per cent, followed by Pahang at 14.4 per cent, and Miri at 14.1 per cent. The unit price index of steel also rose in April 2026, with a month-on-month increase ranging from 0.1 per cent to 6.1 per cent.
Further details revealed that the highest increase in the steel price index was recorded in Perak at 6.1 per cent, followed by Johor at 2.7 per cent, and Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and Negeri Sembilan at 2.4 per cent. Additionally, the DOSM reported that the cement price index registered an increase in April 2026, with changes ranging from 0.1 per cent to 6.0 per cent month-on-month across all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak.
The report indicated that the highest cement price index increase was recorded in Sibu at 6.0 per cent, followed by Johor at 3.9 per cent, and Miri at 3.5 per cent. On a year-on-year basis, the unit price index for sand recorded an increase ranging from 2.8 per cent to 18.6 per cent, impacting most areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak.
The highest year-on-year increase in the sand price index was observed in Miri at 18.6 per cent, followed by Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Terengganu, and Kelantan at 16 per cent. Concurrently, the cement price index increased by 1.0 per cent to 7.5 per cent year-on-year in April 2026 across all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, with the highest increase observed in Kuching at 7.5 per cent, followed by Perak at 6.9 per cent, and Miri at 6.7 per cent.
Mohd Uzir noted that 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 month-on-month. The average price rose to RM3,504.20 per metric tonne (MT) compared to RM3,426.80 per MT in March 2026.
The average price of Ordinary Portland cement also increased by 1.3 per cent, with an average price of RM25.90 per 50 kilogramme (kg) bag, compared to RM25.55 per 50 kg bag in March 2026. On the other hand, the Building Material Cost Index (BCI) with steel bars, categorized by building category and region in Peninsular Malaysia for April 2026, rose by 0.1 per cent to 3.7 per cent month-on-month.
However, the BCI with steel bars for categories of timber building and timber piling saw a slight decline, ranging from -0.1 per cent to -1.2 per cent, in Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan, according to DOSM.
The department further reported that the BCI with steel bars in Sabah recorded a slight increase, ranging from 0.1 per cent to 0.7 per cent month-on-month for all building categories in April 2026, while BCI with steel bars in Sarawak saw an increase of 0.4 per cent to 5.6 per cent month-on-month for all categories of buildings.