Should Employers Give Unrecorded Leave On the 2nd Day of Deepavali?
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Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan urged private sector employers to consider giving their Hindu employees an extra day of unrecorded leave on the second day of Deepavali.
The minister said this was based on the government's policy to grant Hindu civil servants an additional day of unrecorded leave for the second day of Deepavali. The government began enforcing this policy in 2018.
Saravanan said that it would be the weekend after the second day of Deepavali, and it would give more time to employees to spend with their families for Deepavali. The second day of Deepavali falls on Friday, November 5.
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In Malaysia, the first day of the Festival of Lights is acknowledged as a national public holiday.
"One day is not enough."
Recently, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer urged the government to provide a two-day national holiday for Deepavali. He said that one day of Deepavali is not enough.
"Maybe this issue will not be included in today's Bill debate but during Cabinet meetings... at least the minister being an Indian representative in the Cabinet can bring our request to make it mandatory for employers to provide at least two public holidays to their employees, especially those in the private sector," he said to Saravanan.
Elaborating further, the Jelutong MP said that Deepavali is generally limited to a single day of public holiday.
"Coupled with those observing the festival unable to do so last year because of Covid-19, at least this time they will be able to return to their hometowns. Perhaps the minister can address this and propose it to the Cabinet.
"One day of public holiday is insufficient," Rayer said.
Saravanan responded that he would bring the issue to the Cabinet when it convenes.
Can the government grant an extra day of public holiday?
Based on the First Schedule of the Holidays Act, Hari Raya Aidilfitri is the only celebration with two days of public holiday in Malaysia. Meanwhile, the Chinese New Year is only granted a similar number of days except for Terengganu and Kelantan.
Under Section 8 of the Holidays Act, the law allows the prime minister, by notification in the Federal Gazette or any such manner as he deems fit, to appoint any day as a public holiday or bank holiday in West Malaysia or the Federal Territory.
Source: The Star
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