Malaysia's GDP expands 5.1% in Q4 last year

BUOYED by private-sector demand and an improved performance in exports, Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 5.1 per cent in Q4 last year, capping the overall growth figure for 2013 at 4.7 per cent.

While there have been concerns that the government's subsidy rationalisation measures could crimp spending, this was not reflected in the Q4 figures, which showed that consumer spending had not eased off yet.

Even so, the pace of expansion of private consumption eased to 7.3 per cent in Q4 from 8.2 per cent in the preceding quarter.