PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Government has officially gazetted Thaipusam and Federal Territory Day as public holidays for next year, with both celebrations falling on Feb 1, 2026.
In a statement issued by the Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department’s communications unit on Wednesday (Dec 31), it mentioned that the Federal Territory Day is classified as a mandatory public holiday.
“Private sector employers in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan are required to grant this day off to employees under Section 60D(1)(a)(iii) of the Employment Act 1955 (Act 265), and it cannot be substituted.
“However, since Feb 1 falls on a Sunday, employers who designate Sunday as the weekly rest day must provide a replacement holiday on the following working day (Monday),” the statement read.
The statement also noted that employers who have selected Thaipusam as one of their six chosen public holidays under Subsection 60D(1)(a) of the Employment Act must grant a replacement day off on Tuesday (Feb 3) due to the overlap of both holidays on the same date.
“Alternatively, with the employee’s consent, employers may grant any other working day as a paid replacement public holiday under Section 60D(1A).
“Employees who are instructed to work on a public holiday are entitled to receive the holiday pay rate as stipulated in Section 60D(3) of the Act,” the statement added.
