KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) forecasts total industry volume of vehicles to fall 12.4% to 480,000 this year.

This was lower that the 548,115 units which were sold last year, the MAA said on Wednesday.

MAA president Datuk Aishah Ahmad said despite the weaker TIV sales this year, she expected it to record marginal improvement in 2010 to 490,000. She was expecting 2011 sales to rise to 505,000.

On the expectations for this year, she said the MAA was looking at lower sales because of the slower economic growth and unfavourable consumer sentiments due to job concerns.

Other factors were concerns about the inflation, fluctuation in commodity prices and foreign exchange rates.