Malaysia's annual apparent steel consumption is expected to exceed eight million metric tons by the end of the current year.
Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation (MISIF) president Tan Sri Soong Siew Hoong said that steel consumption would improve about five percent this year to 8.2 million metric ton against last year's 7.8 million metric tons.
The MISIF president expects apparent steel consumption to pick up in 2008 and 2009, due to the ongoing infrastructure and industrial-related projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and the Third Industrial Master Plan.