KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) in December 2011 increased by 3.0 per cent as compared with the same month 2010.

The IPI in November 2011 was revised to 2.4 per cent year-on-year, the Statistics Department said in a statement today.

It said the increase in December 2011 was due to the increase in the manufacturing and electricity indices of 4.5 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively.

Meanwhile, the mining index posted a marginal decrease of 0.8 per cent. The department said the IPI increased 3.5 per cent month-on-month basis in December 2011 while the index for 2011 increased 1.4 per cent as against 2010.

The higher manufacturing output in December 2011 was attributed mainly to the increases in these groups -- petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastics products (4.0 per cent); non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products (16.7 per cent); and, food, beverages and tobacco products (19.2 per cent).

For 2011, the growth was 4.7 per cent higher compared with the same period a year earlier, said the department.

On mining output, the decline was due to the decrease in the crude oil index of 2.1 per cent. However, natural gas index increased 2.0 per cent.

As against November 2011, the mining output increased 8.2 per cent while for 2011, the mining sector recorded 6.9 per cent decrease as compared with the same period last year.

For electricity output, an increase of 3.1 per cent was registered in December 2011 as compared with the same month a year earlier.

A growth of 2.0 per cent was registered in 2011 as compared with 2010.