KUALA LUMPUR, January 23 — Building costs across Malaysia edged higher in December 2025 as cement and sand prices rose, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).
With cement prices increasing between 1.2 per cent and 3.2 per cent month-on-month, led by Terengganu and Kelantan, followed by Pulau Pinang, Kedah and Perlis.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said sand prices also climbed by up to 4.8 per cent nationwide, while steel prices showed mixed movements, slipping slightly on a monthly basis but recording modest gains for steel and metal sections.
Year-on-year, steel prices declined across most regions, while cement prices rose by up to 6.1 per cent, contributing to higher Building Material Cost Index readings in most parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, signalling continued cost pressures for builders from Terengganu to Penang.
