Malaysia’s construction sector recorded a solid performance in the first quarter of 2025, with the value of work done rising by 16.6% year-on-year to RM42.9 billion, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
The growth was largely driven by a 35.5% surge in special trade activities and a 27.0% increase in residential building projects. Non-residential buildings also posted strong growth at 21.0%, while civil engineering saw a modest 3.7% rise.
Civil engineering remained the largest contributor at RM15.7 billion, followed by non-residential buildings (RM12.3 billion), residential buildings (RM9.9 billion), and special trades (RM5.0 billion).
Private sector activity led the momentum, expanding by 23.7% and contributing RM27.0 billion to the total value. The public sector posted a slower but positive growth of 6.3%, accounting for RM15.9 billion.
Selangor topped state-level contributions with RM11.1 billion, followed by Johor (RM7.7 billion), the Federal Territories (RM4.5 billion), and Sarawak (RM3.9 billion).