Malaysian consumer prices in April were 4.4 percent higher than a year earlier, government data showed today, due to rising transport and food costs.

Inflation was just below the 4.5 percent annual pace forecast in a Reuters poll, and was down from March's 5.1 percent, the highest rate in eight years.

Transport costs in April rose 16.7 percent year-on-year on higher fuel prices, data from the Statistics Department showed, while prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased 4.1 percent.

Malaysia's central bank said the annual headline inflation rate was 4.3 percent in the first quarter of 2017, but is expected to moderate in the second half.

Bank Negara Malaysia has set a 2017 inflation target of 3 to 4 percent.

- Reuters