JOHOR BARU: The decision for Johor to change its weekend back to Saturday and Sunday from the current Friday and Saturday has been met with overwhelmingly positive responses from the public.
Teng Ek Tan praised the move on Facebook as a "very wise decision" and described it as "practical and down to earth."
Guhendran Naraynan noted that reverting to Saturday-Sunday could address issues of students not attending school on Sundays and may help reduce backlogs.
Simon Ho remarked that Johor is preparing for the Special Economic Zone with Singapore, necessitating synchronised timing.
Eugene Lee agreed, stating that aligning workdays with Singapore makes sense due to extensive commerce.
Ader Chan highlighted the significance for parents in the private sector, as it allows for meaningful bonding time with their school-going children since they now share the same days off.
In a statement on Monday (Oct 7), Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim announced the weekend change will commence in January next year.
With the consent and blessing of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and after consulting the Johor Islamic Religious Council (JAINJ), the change to Saturday and Sunday will begin on Jan 1, 2025, as stated on Facebook.
He also directed Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and the Johor Mufti to thoroughly discuss and study the matter.
"I hope that the private sector, the government and related parties allow sufficient time and space for Muslim workers to perform Friday prayers accordingly," he added.
However, some noted that a Friday and Saturday weekend means less traffic congestion while others jokingly suggested a three-day weekend including Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Marjorie P. Gabriel mentioned that Friday-Saturday weekends ease traffic congestion.
Yusyairi Yunus hoped for a nationwide adoption of a Friday half-day with Saturday and Sunday off.
