Federal Govt employees get special holiday but it’s not for private sector

PETALING JAYA: Federal civil servants can enjoy an extra day off on July 8 after the Hari Raya holiday which is expected to fall on July 6 and 7.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa (pic) said the Government had agreed to grant the special holiday if Hari Raya Aidilfitri falls on July 6.

But it would not apply if the first day of Hari Raya falls on July 5, he said.

He said the extra day off would allow the staff to spend more time with their families and be an incentive for them to provide the best service to the public when they return to work.

A circular issued by Public Service Department (PSD) director-general Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal stated that the special leave from work on July 8 was only applicable to federal public servants in states where the weekend off day is Sunday, reported Bernama.

“The special leave is only for this year and cannot be made a precedent for whatever purpose in future,” said the circular which was uploaded to the PSD portal.

It also states that subject to the acceptance of application by the respective authorities, the circular was generally extended to all state civil services, statutory bodies and local authorities.

In response, Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan said that private sector employers were not bound to follow the holiday declared for federal civil servants.

“The special holiday is not a gazetted public holiday but more of a token by the Government in giving an additional day off to federal civil servants.

“As such, employers in the private sector are not bound under the Public Holiday Act to declare it a holiday for their employees,” he said when contacted.

Shamsuddin said it would be a normal working day for private sector staff.

Meanwhile, Penang residents will enjoy a much longer public holiday on July 8 and 9 as George Town would be celebrating its listing as a Unesco World Heritage Site followed by the 78th birthday of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas.

The Unesco celebration falls on July 7 every year and the public holiday has been pushed to a day later this year because of Hari Raya.