The most valuable Malaysian imports also include cars and automotive parts. Refined copper is another area where Malaysia’s domestic supply lags demand, as is the case for imported coal and natural rubber.
The following list shows on which product categories Malaysian importers spent the most. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level.
This level of granularity can help entrepreneurs identify more precisely which products in which Malaysia has strong demand but competitive disadvantages compared with other nations. Innovation can transform these disadvantages into lucrative business opportunities.
For the most recent four-digit HTS code data, please see the link to Malaysia’s Top 10 Imports article in the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value Malaysian Import Products
Below are the 20 highest value import products delivered to Malaysian importers in 2017. Shown within brackets is the change in value over the latest 5-year period.
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$31.1 billion (Up 17% from 2013 to 2017)
- Processed petroleum oils: $16.7 billion (Down -24.3%)
- Phone system devices including smartphones: $4.1 billion (Up 4.4%)
- Crude oil: $4 billion (Down -44.7%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $3.7 billion (Down -4.2%)
- Gold (unwrought): $3.1 billion (Down -8.8%)
- Computers, optical readers: $2.9 billion (Down -3.5%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $2.5 billion (Up 34.5%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $2.3 billion (Up 9.5%)
- Refined copper, unwrought alloys: $2.2 billion (Down -45%)
- Computer parts, accessories: $2.1 billion (Down -42.3%)
- Printed circuits: $1.9 billion (Up 1.2%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $1.8 billion (Down -55.7%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $1.8 billion (Up 13.4%)
- Natural rubber: $1.8 billion (Down -28.4%)
- Ethylene polymers: $1.8 billion (Up 44.1%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $1.7 billion (Up 35.2%)
- Cars: $1.5 billion (Down -45.4%)
- Aircraft parts: $1.5 billion (Up 22.3%)
- Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers: $1.3 billion (Up 46%)
Among these product categories, oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers posted the greatest increase in Malaysian import purchases with a 46% gain in value from $907.8 million in 2013 to $1.3 billion during 2017.
In second place were imported ethylene polymers which improved 44.1% over the same 5-year period.
Malaysian imports of miscellaneous machinery showed a respectable 35.2% gain, closely trailed by the 34.5% uptick for imported coal including solid fuels made from coal.
Aircraft and spacecraft was the sole declining subcategory with its -55.7% downturn from 2013 to 2017.
See also Malaysia’s Top Trading Partners and Malaysia’s Top 10 Imports
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 5, 2018
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Imports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on March 5, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on March 5, 2018