The jump was the highest since October 2018, when exports had risen 17.7%, and also beat analysts' expectations of a 5.5% growth in a Reuters poll. In August, exports had fallen 2.9%.

Imports in September shrank by 3.9% from a year earlier, slowing from the 6.5% decline in the prior month, the data showed. Analysts had expected a fall of 3.8%.

Malaysia's trade surplus in September widened to 22 billion ringgit ($5.28 billion) from 13.2 billion ringgit the previous month.

($1 = 4.1630 ringgit)

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)