Located in Southeast Asia near powerful trade partners including mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea imported US$340.3 billion worth of products from around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount results from a 42.8% increase compared to $238.3 billion five years earlier during 2021.

Year over year, the overall cost of imported goods bought by Malaysia accelerated by 13.4% from $300.1 billion in 2024.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2025, the Malaysian ringgit appreciated by 6.7% against the US dollar from 2024 to 2025. Malaysia’s stronger local currency made its imports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively less expensive when converted starting from Malaysian ringgits.

Malaysia’s most valuable imported goods are electronic integrated circuits and microassemblies, refined petroleum oils, computers or optical readers, crude oil and phone devices including smartphones. That leading quintet of major Malaysian imports amounted to 38.4% of the Asian countries total import purchases in 2025.

Malaysian imports represent roughly 1.4% of total global imports for 2024 which totaled $24.259 trillion.

Malaysia’s Best International Trade Suppliers

The latest available country-specific data shows that 79.6% of products imported into Malaysia was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (24.3% of the Malaysian total), Singapore (10.5%), Taiwan (10%), United States of America (9.2%), Japan (4.6%), South Korea (4.4%), Indonesia (4.3%), Thailand (3.8%), Vietnam (2.5%), Germany (2.1%), Australia (2.06%) and India (1.9%).

From a continental perspective, almost three-quarters (73.9%) of Malaysia’s total imports by value in 2025 was purchased from fellow Asian countries. Trade partners based in North America furnished another 10% of imports bought by Malaysia while 8.5% worth originated from Europe.

Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Latin America (3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (2.5%) led by Australia and New Zealand, then Africa (2.1%).

Given Malaysia ‘s population of 33.9 million people, its total US$340.3 billion in 2025 imports translates to about $10,050 in yearly product demand from every person in the Southeast Asian country. That per-capita amount exceeds the average $9,000 for 2024.

Malaysia’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Malaysia’s import purchases during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Malaysia.

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: US$110 billion (32.3% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $52.7 billion (15.5%)
3. Mineral fuels including oil: $40.8 billion (12%)
4. Plastics, plastic articles: $9.6 billion (2.8%)
5. Vehicles: $8.7 billion (2.6%)
6. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $8.5 billion (2.5%)
7. Gems, precious metals: $8.2 billion (2.4%)
8. Iron, steel: $5.8 billion (1.7%)
9. Other chemical goods: $5 billion (1.5%)
10. Aircraft, spacecraft: $4.9 billion (1.4%)

Malaysia’s top 10 imports accounted for 74.7% of the overall value of Malaysian product purchases from other countries.

The fastest grower among Malaysia’s top imported product categories was aircraft and spacecraft via a 50.4% increase from 2024 to 2025.

The second-biggest percentage advance belonged to imported machinery including computers via a 35.3% acceleration.

Trailing the above was electrical machinery and equipment thanks to its 27.8% upturn, ahead of imported gems and precious metals (up 25.3%).

Posting year-over-year declines were Malaysia’s imports of mineral fuels including oil (down -16.8% from 2024) and the metals iron and steel (down -1.7%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented below is at the more granular 4-digit level.

Malaysia’s Best Imports of Electronic Products

In 2025, Malaysian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical products including consumer electronics.

1. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$67.6 billion (up 24.5% from 2024)
2. Phone system devices: $10.5 billion (up 77.5%)
3. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $4.7 billion (up 12.9%)
4. Printed circuits: $3.3 billion (up 25.3%)
5. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $2.9 billion (up 29.3%)
6. Insulated wire/cable: $2.7 billion (up 68.5%)
7. Electrical converters/power units: $2.6 billion (up 16.2%)
8. Unrecorded sound media: $2.2 billion (up 110.4%)
9. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $1.8 billion (up 41.6%)
10. Electrical capacitators: $1.1 billion (up 21.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Malaysian purchases of unrecorded sound media (up 110.4%), phone devices including smartphones (up 77.5%) then insulated wire or cable (up 68.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Malaysian businesses and consumers.

Malaysia’s Best Imports of Machinery Products Including Computers

In 2025, Malaysian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$18.3 billion (up 78.8% from 2024)
2. Computer parts, accessories: $7.1 billion (up 57.4%)
3. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $4.4 billion (up 3.4%)
4. Turbo-jets: $3.5 billion (up 62.2%)
5. Miscellaneous machinery: $2.1 billion (up 26.9%)
6. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.3 billion (up 4.8%)
7. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $1.27 billion (up 9%)
8. Air or vacuum pumps: $1.1 billion (up 15.4%)
9. Printing machinery: $953.2 million (up 4.7%)
10. Temperature-change machines: $914.3 million (up 7.7%)

Among these import subcategories, Malaysian purchases of computers or optical readers (up 78.8%), turbo-jets (up 62.2%) then computer parts and accessories (up 57.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Malaysian businesses and consumers.

Malaysia’s Best Imports of Mineral Fuels Including Oil

In 2025, Malaysian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$21.5 billion (down -19.2% from 2024)
2. Crude oil: $12.6 billion (down -9.1%)
3. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $4 billion (down -11.7%)
4. Petroleum gases: $1.8 billion (down -33.8%)
5. Petroleum oil residues: $372.9 million (down -20.9%)
6. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $228.2 million (down -30.4%)
7. Coke, semi-coke: $134.4 million (down -55.4%)
8. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $71.9 million (down -41.6%)
9. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $43.5 million (up 20.9%)
10. Electrical energy: $29.5 million (up 261.4%)

Among these import subcategories, Malaysian purchases of electrical energy (up 261.4%) then petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 20.9%) grew from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported fossil fuel-related products among Malaysian businesses and consumers.

Malaysia’s Best Imports of Plastic Materials and Plastic Products

In 2025, Malaysian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of plastics.

1. Ethylene polymers: US$1.8 billion (up 4.4% from 2024)
2. Miscellaneous plastic items: $1.2 billion (up 11.5%)
3. Polyacetal/ether/carbonates: $1 billion (down -10.4%)
4. Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips: $690.9 million (up 0.6%)
5. Plastic tubes, pipes, fittings: $637.7 million (up 144.1%)
6. Plastic packing goods, lids, caps: $560.1 million (up 18%)
7. Propylene/olefin polymers: $556.9 million (down -5.9%)
8. Self-adhesive plastic in rolls: $466.1 million (up 8.7%)
9. Styrene polymers: $465.3 million (down -13.2%)
10. Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips: $330 million (up 13.3%)

Among these import subcategories, Malaysian purchases of plastic tubes, pipes and fittings (up 144.1%), plastic packing goods, lids and caps (up 18%) then plastic plates, sheets, film, tape and strips (up 13.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported plastics among Malaysian businesses and consumers.
 

See also Malaysia’s Top 10 Exports, Malaysia’s Top Trading Partners, Malaysia’s Top 10 Major Export Companies and Top 10 Asian Export Countries

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook, Country Profiles. Accessed on May 7, 2026

International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on May 7, 2026

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Databases (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 7, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 7, 2026