KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11: Malaysian industrial output dropped 15.6 per cent year-on-year in December 2008 as the global recession hit demand for Asian exports of manufactured goods, government data showed on Wednesday.

Malaysian manufacturing production also plunged 18.4 per cent over the past year, according to the data released by the national statistics department.

On a monthly basis, the industrial production index (IPI) was down 5.2 per cent in December.

“The contraction in December 2008 was due to the decreases in the three indices -- manufacturing (18.4 per cent), mining (8.4 per cent) and electricity (6.2 per cent),” the statistics department said in a statement.

Malaysia is planning for a second stimulus package after rolling out a seven billion ringgit ($1.9 billion) spending plan last November. —AFP