{
  "id": 440156,
  "title": "Malaysia’s construction material prices creep higher — except sand, which jumps nearly 15pc, DOSM says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/malaysias-construction-material-prices-creep-higher-except-sand-which",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-10T04:53:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2026/08/10/malaysias-construction-material-prices-creep-higher-except-sand-which-jumps-nearly-15pc-dosm-says/230799"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia's construction material prices have seen a general increase, except for sand, which surged nearly 15 percent in July 2026, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). Sand prices increased from 0.1 percent to 14.9 percent nationwide, with the highest rise in Terengganu and Kelantan at 14.9 percent, followed by Kota Kinabalu, Sabah at 4.1 percent, and Penang, Kedah, and Perlis at 2.8 percent. Steel prices also saw a slight increase, ranging from 0.6 percent to 0.9 percent month-on-month, with the highest boost in Perak at 0.9 percent, followed by Tawau, Sabah, and Sandakan, Sabah at 0.7 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. On a year-on-year basis, steel prices saw increases from 0.5 percent to 8.4 percent, with the highest surge in Perak at 8.4 percent, followed by Johor at 6.3 percent, and Pahang at 4.8 percent. Cement prices also saw a slight increase, ranging from 0.2 percent to 0.8 percent month-on-month across all regions in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, with the highest increase in Perak at 0.8 percent, followed by Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and Negeri Sembilan at 0.3 percent. The average price per unit of steel decreased by 0.2 percent month-on-month, with an average price of RM3,499.50 per metric tonne in July 2026, down from RM3,507.10 per MT in June 2026. Ordinary Portland cement prices remained unchanged at RM25.70 per 50-kilogramme bag. The Building Material Cost Index (BCI) with steel bars rose between 0.1 percent and 1.4 percent month-on-month across Peninsular Malaysia, while it slightly declined in Sabah and slightly increased in Sarawak.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — The unit price index of sand increased in July 2026, ranging from 0.1 per cent to 14.9 per...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}