Malaysia's consumer price index in November rose 1.8 percent from a year earlier, the fastest pace in six months, government data released today showed.

The figure was above the 1.6 percent forecast by economists, and the highest since the two percent in May. October's annual rate was 1.4 percent.

November's inflation rate was driven by higher food and household expenses, while there were lower transport and communication costs, data from theStatistics Department showed.

Annual inflation reached a seven-year peak of 4.2 percent in February, before moderating as the effects of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) imposed in April 2015 faded.

Last month, Malaysia's central bank said the annual inflation rate in the third quarter was 1.3 percent.

- Reuters